Extraordinary quality French Empire mantel clock inspired by Madame Recamier. The case almost certainly by Claude Galle, Napoleon's favourite Bronzier. The lovely female figure in classical dress sits upon the superb day bed with a pier glass behind her. The inspiration for the composition could have come from an elegant salon or from a fine painting. Proportion with space and elegance makes this clock one in 10,000 in terms of design. Over engineered as the best of Galle's clocks were, with heavy castings and the use of bolts rather than threads and nuts. The wax cast applied mounts are 1st quality in terms of their delicacy and crispness, much of the fire gilt ormolu has had a double thickness applied, is entirely original and probably has not been cleaned for many years. The convex white enamel dial is clear and simple with original elaborate, gilded hands. The 8 day, silk suspended pendulum movement, strikings the hours and halfs by means of a countwheel. The mirror glass behind the seated figure appears to be entirely original. France circa 1805. 21.25 inches by 17.25 inches wide ( 53 cms by 43 cms).