This mantel clock by French clockmaker “Dubuc” depicts George Washington and is an example of popular objects commemorating the first President of the United States.
This imported French clock features a white enamel dial contained in a rectangular plinth surmounted by a gilt eagle with the motto “E Pluribus unum” flanked on the right by a standing figure of George Washington in military costume. It is likely that Dubuc, who in addition to being a clockmaker was also a merchant, copied Washington’s pose from an engraving of John Trumbull’s well-known painting of Washington. It also includes an inscription on the swag, which is a quote from the funeral oration given by Major General Henry Lee after Washington’s death in 1799.
