Antique English Regency Ormolu and patinated bronze mantel clock by F. Baetans

"A superb, rare English Regency ormolu and patinated bronze mantel clock in romantic "Genre" form as a "return to nature".
In the " Arcadian" genre manner made popular in France by Marie Antoinette and then later by the Empress Josephine .
 
The clock is in the form of a chicken coup with the fire gilt ormolu and patinated bronze cast in rustic style with planked wood, tree trunks as corner posts and a thatched roof. The chicken coup has a small front door and two doves sit just above and to each side of the clock dial, whilst perched upon the coop is a further dove upon a wreath.
A woman wearing a peasants headscarf but in classical or "Empire" dress of some quality so that there is no mistaking her position as an aristocrat or leading bourgeoisie is kneeling and feeding the chickens grain from a golden bowl. There is a pile of grain already on the base from which the four well modelled chicken are pecking. Around the other side of the chicken coup is the figure of Cupid who is peering around the side towards the woman. He has an arrow in his hand hidden behind his back and a finger either pointing at the woman or as a sign to keep quiet. The woman is clearly his target and one can easily guess that this clock could have been a present on the engagement of a young couple. The clock is signed by the well known early 19th century clockmaker F. Baetans, London, on the backplate and also on the back of the fronplate of the movement. The patinated bronze base with canted corners, four bun feet terminating in palmettes and applied ormolu mounts of reclining goats seperated by a ribboned wreath of grapes and vine leaves, and two ormolu mounts of Pan. The engine turned, gilt bronze  dial with roman numerals  is surrounded by a fine ormolu bezel decorated with amthemion. The very fine, flat bottomed fusee movement is of 8 day duration.  F. Baetans worked at 23 Gerrard street London. English circa 1810-20. 
 
40 cms by 32.5 cms by 15 cms