Rare pair of automaton jacquemarts in copper... - Lot 60 - Pierre Bergé & Associés

Lot 60
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Estimation :
8000 - 10000 EUR
Rare pair of automaton jacquemarts in copper... - Lot 60 - Pierre Bergé & Associés
Rare pair of automaton jacquemarts in copper and molten metal (pewter or lead), polychromed with remains of gilding, each with the head and an articulated arm. They represent soldiers, helmeted and in armour, one leg bent, the mobile arm holding an upturned axe; complete armour made of plates with breastplate decorated with spherical buttons, belt to which is attached a sword. The head, cast in one piece, is wearing a helmet with a crest decorated with a leonine muzzle on the front, long hair falling into the neck, beardless face with fine features. 16th century Heights approx. 50.3 cm Base Provenance: former collection of a manor house, Dinan (Côtes d'Armor) The wooden or metal automaton puppets, known as jacquemarts, designed to strike the bell, were very early to adorn the clocks of belfries, town halls, churches, cathedrals and other monuments. They can be found in most European countries, and some are mentioned as early as the 14th century. The characters represented are very diverse, secular or religious. The theme of the soldier is recurrent, sometimes associated with Death as in Alsace, in the churches of Thann or Benfeld. Several are known in England under the name of Clocks Jacks. Generally made of oak, one of them dating from the second half of the 15th century can still be seen in Southwold Church, a pair in York Cathedral and another in the Clock Tower in Evesham. Subjected to the weather and the vagaries of history, fragile by their mechanism, and also subject to the evolution or restoration of clock movements, most of these old Jacquemarts have disappeared. The nature of the material, most often wood, has not favoured their conservation either. This pair of Renaissance jacquemarts is a real discovery. In an excellent state of preservation, they had to be removed from their location a long time ago to join a collection and thus be preserved. By their theme, they are comparable to the two soldiers, thought to have been cast around 1478, who rang the hours in the belfry of the city of Dubrovnik, formerly Ragusa (fig.). These two life-size statues, made of bronze, are probably the work of Michele di Giovanni, a collaborator of the Florentine sculptor and architect Michelozzo, who came from Italy for the occasion. The small size of these is more consistent with an astronomical clock than with a tall bell tower. The position of the bent leg indicates that it must have been resting on an element of the decoration, probably landscaped, given the foliage surrounding the foot which is on the ground. According to a clockmaker, the amplitude of the mobile arm suggests that these automatons, which were driven by a fairly simple mechanism, must have struck the hour, half-hour and probably the quarter-hour with their hammers. Works and sites consulted: W. Wooding Starmer, "The Clock Jacks of England" in Journal of the Royal Musical Association, November 6, 1917; Ecouen-Zagreb Exhibition 2004, The Renaissance in Croatia, National Renaissance Museum - Klovi?evi Gallery, cat. 34. www.patrimoine-horloge.f https://www.h-r-z.hr/en/index.php/djelatnosti/konzerviranje-restauriranje/metal/219-dubrovakirzelencil
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