The Battle of Fleurus
An Extraordinary and Historically Important Automata
曠世傑作：金箔雕花彩繪琺瑯活動人偶時計
This exceptional and incredibly rare automata openface
watch features a polychrome enamel scene of the Battle
of Fleurus by Jean-Baptise Mauzaisse, a history painter
from Corbeil. During the Ancien Regime, History Painting
was considered the highest form of art, usually depicting
a narrative story with moral associations. Towards the
end of the 19th century, the subject matter shifted from
religious and Greco-Roman narratives to contemporary
battles scenes. These paintings were often used as tools
of nationalism and to stir feelings of pride for one's
country in a time of social and political instability.
Following the French Revolution, the ruling party
underwent various changes before Napleon’s asce