Pendule Religieuse with Hour/Half Hour Strike

This clock’s elaborate brass cresting includes a coat of arms between two cherubs, hinting at the growing French taste for embellishment and sculptural elements in the late 17th century.

Balthazar Martinot II was one of the most famous members of a large family of clock and watchmakers. He moved to Paris in 1660 from Rouen and became a watchmaker to Queen Anne of Austria five years later. Martinot had many clients among the aristocracy, including King Louis XIV. In 1700, Martinot held the largest stock of clocks in Paris.