Pendule Religieuse Clock with Hour/Half Hour Strike

During the 1670s, French clocks began to lose the somber look their name (“religieuse”) implied. The growing emphasis on elaborate artistry can be seen in this clock’s inlaid red tortoiseshell, decorative brass dial plate and finials. The arched pediment exemplifies how early clock case designs borrowed heavily from architecture.

Samuel Panier was one of four members of the Jurande, the governing body of the Parisian clockmaker’s guild. His two-year term began in 1675.