Style Orientalism / Ref.11800

Charles MATIFAT, Orientalising Clock Set with Candlesticks, after 1851

Clock : H. 66.5 cm/25.98’’; W. 32 cm/12.6’’; D. 25 cm/9.84''
Candlesticks: H. 74 cm/29.13’’; W. 25 cm/9.84’’; D. 22 cm/8.66’'


The clock from the 1851 London Word’s Fair

During the 1851 Universal Exhibition, Charles Stanislas Matifat presented a stand on which were displayed numerous objects executed in an orientalist vein, then in vogue. Among the exhibited works was notably a double-sided clock, the success of which was such that it was subsequently produced in several copies, including as part of complete clock sets. The artist’s exhibition space was immortalized through engravings and photography.

Charles Stanislas Matifat (active between 1820 and 1875) was a French founder. He was trained by the goldsmith Antoine Vechte and around 1840, after his father's death, he took over his father's factory and shop, which had been established in 1820, specializing in small bronzes, statuettes, fireplaces, chandeliers, and fancy objects. He received a silver medal at the National Exhibition of Industrial Products in 1849 and participated in the 1851 Universal Exhibition in London, where he also won a silver medal. In addition to the aforementioned small objects, his company executed monuments and artistic castings, such as the lampposts for the grand staircase of Charles Garnier's Opera House around 1861, for example.

Matifat's clocks, vases, chandeliers, fountains, and decorative objects were renowned for their precision, refinement, and meticulous finishes. In The Art Journal Illustrated Catalogue of 1851, Matifat's art was described as “both useful and ornamental” (p. 48); the author also highlighted his good taste. The author of The Illustrated Catalogue of the Universal Exhibition of 1867 praised his ability to be both an artist and a craftsman (p. 90).

Matifat is also recognized for inventing a vitreous enameling process baked on bronze, which he used in the creation of the clock presented in London in 1851.

The 1851 orientalist clock has the qualities of a piece of goldsmithing. It features very fine decorations reminiscent of Persian decorative arts. It rests on a rectangular base adorned with geometrized floral motifs and a fanciful coat of arms. Its upper part is surrounded by four columns and has two enamel dials on opposite sides, each indicating a different hour in Persian numerals. The work is just as elaborate on the back as on the front. It was intended to be placed on a mantelpiece in front of a mirror, reflecting both the second dial and its ornaments. Finally, the small structure is topped with a roof reminiscent of the palaces from One Thousand and One Nights; at its peak is the crescent moon of the Ottoman Empire.

The ornamentation unfolds in the fine chiseling of the gilded base and the addition of enamels providing touches of various colors, predominantly violet and soft green.

The clock bears the signature of its creator: “MATIFAT. PARIS. 1851”.

The Garniture with Candelabras

Following the enthusiasm for this piece at the Exhibition, it was produced in several copies: there is a mantelpiece set with cassolettes, and another with candelabras, which interests us here.

The clock was made to the same model as the one from the 1851 Exhibition. Like the other reissued clocks, it has two differences from the original clock: the latter was topped with an Ottoman crescent, unlike the subsequently edited clocks; and it featured a double dial with Turkish numerals, whereas the others have Turkish numerals on one side and Roman numerals on the other. These differences likely indicate that these clocks intended for the Western market were somewhat adapted for European use, while still retaining the orientalist style so appreciated by this clientele.

The clock is accompanied by a pair of candelabras made in the same spirit: they feature the same gilt structure with colorful enamels and are also inspired by Middle Eastern arts, both in their form and decoration. They have handles whose semicircular curves and perpendicular lines evoke Muslim architecture. At the center, the top mimics that of oriental minarets.

The set presents subtle color variations compared to the original piece, including on the dial.

Part of Matifat’s work is rooted in the orientalism trend that swept through the 19^th century. With the development of transportation and the publication of numerous travelogues, works and themes from elsewhere inspired many artists. The influence of oriental arts is noticeable in Matifat's garnitures: the colorful architecture of the clock, with its columns and Ottoman turrets evoking the minarets of eastern mosques, relates to this dream of elsewhere. However, it is closer to the tales of One Thousand and One Nights than to perfectly imitated architecture. Similarly, the candelabras borrow the forms of vases and round arches from this architecture, while creating a distinctly unique object from the artistic production of this region of the world.

This object, as beautiful as it is utilitarian, thus enjoyed significant success following its presentation to the public at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London. The influence of orientalism is evident in Matifat’s work, particularly in the forms of this object. His mastery of the technique of vitreous enamel on copper worked at high heat allows him to magnificently adorn each of these garnitures.