Antique French Empire ormolu clock of Empress Marie Louise and "The King of Rome", circa 1812. Napoleon felt that his consort Josephine could not give him an heir which was necessary for the succession. In 1810 he divorced Josephine which was devastating for her but they remained on good terms and she retained the title of Empress till her death in 1814. After he divorced Josephine he married Marie-Louise of Austria who in due course produced the long awaited heir in March 1811. Hence the design and iconography of the clock. A beautifully designed and executed clock of classic French Empire proportions and in fine original fire gilded ormolu. Set upon four elaborately decorated toupee feet below a double rectangular base seperated by a stiff leaf moulding. Sitting upon the square clock housing sits a woman in classical dress with her hair up and holding an infant in her arms and her feet on a stool with drapes on it decorated with forget-me-not flowers. To the right of the stool is a profusely decorated vase with fruit and flowers overflowing from the top. Set on the base and to the left of the figure is a classical and beautifully decorated harp with baiting swan finial and articulated foot pedals. The base has applied ormolu mounts including male and female busts on the left and right surrounded by forget-me-not wreaths and among laurel. These probably represent Empress Louise and Napoleon. The central vignette of these mounts is of a woman nursing a child at her breast and removing a cover from an elaborate crib prior to placing the infant within. The front of the crib is decorated with a laurel wreath indicating a Royal or Imperial occupant. This mount is surrounded by harebell and forget-me-not decoration with Amthemion and ribbons. The dial is of convex white porcelain with Roman hour numerals and blued steel Breguet style moon hands. The dial is surrounded by a fine ormolu bezel. The movement is an eight day silk suspended movement striking the hours and halves on a bell by means of the countwheel system France circa 1812. 19.5 inches high by 15.75 inches wide by 5.5 inches deep ( 48.75 cm by 39.38 cm by 13.75 cm).