146,500 CHF
Ilbery, London, No. 6094, made for the Chinese Market, circa 1815. The case enamelled by Victor Dupont. "Ulysses' farewell" Extremely fine and rare 18K gold and enamel centreseconds watch, with special escapement. Double body with fixed bezel, of the type used for watches made for the Chinese Market, bezels and pendant with champleve enamelled decoration, the back enamel panel painted with a scene from the Odyssey, depicting Ulysses leaving Nausicaa, the daughter of the King Alcinous. hinged gold cuvette engraved with decoration. White enamel with Roman numerals and outer minutes and seconds ring. Gold "spade" hands. Notes Dupont used to sign his best works only, therefore very few watches made for the Chinese Market, with enamel paintings signed Dupont are known to exist. This watch, in perfect condition, is certainly among the best examples bearing his signature. A particular feature of his work was his distinctive palette which may well derive from the fact that, like most of the best enamellers of his time, he used to mix his own colours. As opposed to most of the compositions of the other enamellers, also working in Geneva, such as Jean-Louis Richter, he also has a special ability to paint a group of figures placed in the foreground and filling most of the space available highlighting the expression of the characters and giving to the spectator the i mpression of being involved in the scene. Jean-Francois-Victor Dupont (1785-1863), probably the finest painter Read more…
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1998-04-18
