Antique French Empire ormolu clock with bust of Virgil.. A fine quality French Empire clock with original ormolu in excellent condition. The clock case surmounted by a fine gilt bronze bust of Virgil as a young man, with his long hair crowned with laurel. Set upon four toupee feet., the rectangular case with fine mouldings and an applied ormolu mount below the dial of a baiting swan with larel wreath within foliage and with flaming torcheres to each side. In the two upper spandrel corners are further ormolu mounts incorporating a lyre.. Superb convex white enamel dial with Roman hour chapters in black and signed "Deniere & Matelin fabr de bronze a Paris". The clock hands are of blued steel and of moon form. The dial is surrounded by a lovely ormolu bezel incorporating stiff leaf and dart decoration. The movement is of 8 day duration and strikes the hours and halves on a cast bell by means of the countwheel system of striking. The clock is reguated by a silk suspended pendulum. France circa 1812. Deniere and Matelin were working at the Rue Turenne in Paris in 1812. Publius Vergilius Maro died in 19 BC aged 51 was one of the greatest poets of Rome and his work especially the epic Aeneid is recognised as having a huge influence over Western Literature.