The Shapes and the Forms

What qualifies as a George Washington Clock? Prior scholarship would lead some to believe that there is just the one "classic" form which is characterized by a clockwork case surmounted by an eagle flanked by the standing Washington figure. While Example 1 set out below is what most would consider to be that "classic" form, there are at least five additional forms.

The first is the "Jacob" form in Example 2 below. The Jacob form is characterized by the Washington figure with a sword in his left hand pointing to a book inscribed with "American Independence. / In Congress, July 4th, 1776, John Hancock." In place of the usual eagle on the top of the clockcase there are four eagles resting on pedastles. This form appears to be unique, and there are three potential candidates for the maker of the Jacob clock: 1) Jacob Petite (unlikely, as he was famous for Rococo porcelain clock cases not typically associated with the Washington form) 2) François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter, (1770–1841) who oversaw one of the most successful and influential furniture workshops in Paris (unlikely as he was primarily associated with furnitute)[1] but possibly, 3) the “Jacob” who was a listed clockmaker in Paris at Rue des Mathurins St. Jacques and Rue St. Martin from 1812-25, “Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World” by G. H. Baillie) .

The second is the "Pyramid/Seal" form in Example 3 below which also appears to be unique. In place of the eagle perched on top of the clockcase is a pyramid with 13 steps of bricks that represent the 13 original states, which is topped by the "all-seeing" eye that appears on the reverse of the dollar bill. The date of 1776 in Roman numerals appears at the pyramid's base. This is one of a handful of George Washington clocks not to utilize Bruguet-style hands, and is one of only two clocks known to use bronze hands.

The third is the "Treaty of Alliances" form, two of which are known, as can be seen in examples 4 and 5 above. This form is characterized by Washington standing next to a desk/bookcase holding the Treaty of Alliance in his left hand while his right gestures to the desk with the Declaration of Independence unfurled and a banner with an eagle and shield. It's not clear whether the sword used in Example 5 is missing from Example 4.

The fourth style seen in Example 6 above is a hybrid that uses the pedastal format seen on the bust clocks set out below as well as a full size Washington figure.

Busts make up the final form and five versions can be seen below. The busts are all quite tall: the tallest is 21" while the shortest 18 1/2" which makes them as tall as the tallest "classic" form Washington clocks. Three have dials with signatures by Grenot which can be seen in Examples 7-9 below[2], two are signed by Mallet (Examples 10 and 11 below) while Example 12 is unsigned. Five utilize enameled dials while one has a silvered dial. Four have "lozenge" feet while the remaining two have no feet.

The example below isn't a clock but is included here to show the range of design possibilities available to customers wanting Washington imagery on their mantels. Wallace Nutting described it this way: "The figure of Washington, the eagle and the correct inscription on the banner are about the same as those seen on the clocks; and the round and fluted white marble column on the white marble base gives a pleasing effect. The base is ornamented with ormulu borders, claw feet and a panel with classical figures with 'anthemions' on the sides."[3]

There has been speculation as to whether these clocks came with glass domes, and two pieces of evidence point to the fact that glass domes may have been intended. The first is is the newspaper advertisement set out below left which references an "elegant glass." The second is a letter from one of the prior owners of the clock in Example 2 above which states that the clock "...was always left under a glass shade which accounts for its preservation."[4]

Lara Pascali's research allowed her to break down the "classic" figural clock seen in Example 1 into three groups:

My analysis of the figural clocks suggests that despite a veriety of anomalies, these clocks can be broadly divided into three major categories which I have typed A, B and C. Type A stands at around 19 inches, has a tablet at the bottom and a trophy of arms and larrel wreaths along the side of the case. Type B is about 15 inches tall, has a decorative ornament with the face of Apollo on the front, and a male winged figure on the side. Type C is about 12.5 inches tall, and has the same decorative elements as Type B. [5]

The A variant can be seen to the left while the B/C variant can be seen to the right:

The eagles surmounting the clockwork case appear to have have two variations as can be seen directly below: wings down with heads pointed to the left, and wings up with heads pointed to the right. Within these there are slight casting variations of the eagles, the balls they sit on, the arrows they hold, as well as the leafage:

The drapery just below the clock dials appears to have three variations. The first version is cast and was taken from Major-General Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee’s "Funeral Oration[6] on the Death of General Washington" that was delivered to both chambers of Congress on December 26, 1799, and was also published as a pamphlet in 1800, which reads: “First in WAR, First in PEACE, First in the HEARTS of his COUNTRYMEN" as seen here:

The second variation is also cast but reads "First in WAR, First in PEACE, And in His Countrymen's Hearts" an incorrect version of Lee's oration, which would appear to be attributable to something being "lost in translation" from English to French somewhere along the line. Nutting pointed out that Dubuc apparently produced clocks with both variations which raises a number of interesting questions.[Nutting]

The third version used on the shorter clocks has castings that are typically not as refined as on the taller clocks, but use the standard Lee quotation:

As the image below indicates, there are variations on the casting details of the third version used on the shorter clocks:

The fourth version is engraved rather than cast, and the final line of the quotation from Lee varies from the correct versio “First in The HEARTS of his COUNTRYMEN.”

Lee's eulogy reads in part:

First in war- first in peace- and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in the humble and endearing scenes of private life; pious, just, humane, temperate and sincere; uniform, dignified and commanding, his example was as edifying to all around him, as were the effects of that example lasting.[6]

As Lara Pascali has noted: "...design sources for the decorative elements of each clock have been difficult to trace, and much about them remains a mystery."[7] That is true with respect to the two versions of the Washington figure on the clocks, of which there is a "younger" and "older" version of Washington's head.

Many scholars believe that the younger version on the left below comes from John Trumbull’s 1792 painting titled "General George Washington at the Battle of Trenton" that's seen in the middle below that was gifted to Yale in 1806 by the Society of the Cincinnati in Connecticut. Trumbull made a smaller version of this portrait titled "George Washington," and in 1796 supervised its engraving by Thomas Cheesman that was used as the basis for several other engravings.[X]

Lara Pascali has speculated[8] that the Washington form with the older version head (below left) could have derived from a Houdon sculpture in the Richmond State Capitol (middle below), while Peter Kenney speculated that it derives from a portrait of Washington by Edward Savage painted for Harvard College in 1789 (far right below).

And how does this square with the "letter extract" set out below from Dubuc to his American partner dicsussed further on that implies that the figure of Washington was taken from images found in "...the Louvre, the galleries and hotels?"

A variety decorative elements can be found on the sides of the clock cases. The ad directly above alludes to these as follows: "There are connected with this works other devices, entirely American, which cannot fail to make it desirable to the Patriots of your country."

The image on the left below is typically seen on the clock case of the taller clocks, and is combination of a bow, a quiver of arrows and a club-of-war that hangs below a feathered headdress. Peter Kenney attributes this imagery to "...the 'noble savage,' a standard personification of America in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries."[9] The image in the middle can be found on the sides of the bases on the shorter clocks, while the anthemions and leafage on the left can befound on the sides of the bases on the taller clocks:

The central bas-relief plaque on the base of the clocks pictures below is thought to depict Washington's relinquishing his sword to Congress before his return to civilian life, and is a reference to the Roman citizen-soldier Cincinnatus to whom Washington was frequently compared.[XX] An interesting issue is whether the design details for the plauque were left to Dubuc, or for that matter, any of the French bronziers, casters and chisellers/chasers. Stated differently, would a Parisian have sufficent familiarity with the Washington/Cincinnatus allegory to come up with the central plaque imagery that can be seen just below without American input?

Washington resigned his commission as commander in chief of the Continental Army on December 23, 1783 to the Congress of the Confederation that was meeting in the Maryland State Hose in Annapolis. Thirty-four years later, on January 27, 1817, Congress commissioned John Trumbull in to paint four Revolutionary War scenes to be displayed in the rotunda of the Capitol, The military subjects selected were the Surrender of General Burgoyne and the Surrender of Lord Cornwallis. and General George Washington Resigning His Commission, as can be seen below. If you're looking for design inspiration, the imagery from Trumbull's painting doesn't line up with what's on the plaque. In addition, Trumbull started work in 1822 and finished his commission in 1824, which makes it "late" to have figured in the design of the central plaque:

The central bas-relief plaque just below is from the bust clock in Example 7 above and is said to depict Cornwallis Resigning his Sword to Washington, and may be unique:

In reality, Cornwallis himself was not present for the surrender, as can be seen in John Trumbull's famous (and historiclly accurate) painting that hangs in the US Capitol. American General Benjamin Lincoln is mounted on a white horse and extends his right hand toward the sword carried by the surrendering British officer, General Charles O'Hara. Washington, who is riding a brown horse, stayed in the background because Cornwallis himself was not present for the surrender:

The Thomas Freeman print from 1812 set out below that incorrectly portrays Cornwallis surrendering to Washington undescores how tricky it is to find accurate design sources for the imagery on the clocks:

The central ornamentation on the base of the shorters clocks contains an image of Apollo, and there are slight variations in the castings as the images below point out:

The eagle medallions directly below are used on the bust clocks in Examples 6, 7 and 11 above and are likely from the same casting. As Nutting noted: "The eighteen small stars...may indicate the eighteen States in the Union at the time the clock was made, and if so the date would be between 1812 and 1816."[11]

[1] At their meeting at Tilsitt in June 1807, the French Emperor Napoleon reportedly received from the Russian Tsar Alexander I several magnificent gifts, including malachite pieces that were mounted in gilt-bronze by François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter.

[2] The bust clock in Example 7 above sits on the mantel in the State Drawing Room of the Georgia Governor's Mansion: https://vimeo.com/341891574

[3] Wallace Nutting, American Antique Furniture, Section 193, page 977.

[4] Letter written by Julia Yard, February 25, 1925 in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Object File for Clock # 25.11 pictured above in Example 2.

[5] Lara Pascali, "Desirable to the Patriots, French Washington Clocks for the American Market" at pages 2-3.

[6] https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/first-in-war-first-in-peace-and-first-in-the-hearts-of-his-countrymen/; Lee was major general in the Continental Army, a member of the Continental Congress, governor of Virginia, father of Civil War general Robert E. Lee and close friend of George Washington. Lee was unable to attend the Congressional session, and a member of Congress delivered the eulogy in his place.

[5] Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1775. 6th Cong., 1st session, December 27th - 29th, 1799, Page 194.

[X]

[7] Lara Pascali, "Desirable to the Patriots, French Washington Clocks for the American Market" at page 3.

[8] Lara Pascali, "Desirable to the Patriots, French Washington Clocks for the American Market" at page 3.

[9] Going for the Gold, Two French Ormolu Washington Clocks at Classical American Homes Preservation Trust

[XX] In recognition of George Washington declining of the title of King of the United States, several officers of the Continental line founded The Society of the Cincinnati. The Society was dedicated to “An incessant attention to preserve inviolate those exalted rights and liberties of human nature, for which they have fought and bled, and without which the high rank of a rational being is a curse instead of a blessing.” The inspiration for the name came from the officers’ admiration of Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus (519 BCE – 438 BCE), who declined offers of power and returned to the status of citizen. In 1783, Americans saw a clear connection between themselves and the past. George Washington, the first president of the society, was known as the “Cincinnatus of the West.” https://faculty.fiu.edu/~baillyj/italy-study-abroad/italy-projects/cincinnatus-project/