Important early French enamel oignon watch Circa 1688-1695

Completely enamelled verge oignon watch by François Bourdain
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An important, very early and unusually large French enamel single handed oignon watch, circa 1688-1695. Very early verge movement, Egyptian pillars, early central winding, a verge bridge with bird scenes. Dial with white cartouche and blue Roman hours, central a fine polychrome enamel portrait, iron hands. The case is completely enamelled, on the back the mythological scene The Death of Cleopatra, both sides with landscapes in the typical style of Mussard, the landscape scenes on the upper part of the band are presented in the sunlight, the ones on the lower part with the sun setting, the enamelling attributed to Jean Mussard V. Movement signed.
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Diameter: 60 mm
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Weight: 177 g
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Signed: Bourdain à Bourdeaux
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François Bourdain, Bordeaux, listed from 1688 to 1695.
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Jean Mussard V was born and died in Geneva, 1681-1754. He was one of the best enamel painters of the early 18th century, the son of Jean IV and a cousin of the Huauds. He began his career as a goldsmith and became a Master on December 7th, 1699. He later became a painter on enamel, in which discipline he was influenced by the style of Les Frères Huaud. Although he clearly was inspired by their work, his paintings were more according to the taste of the time, they showed religious designs as well as purely secular ones. He went into partnership with his son Jean-Antoine and trained several pupils, among them Gabriel Fontaine, André Oettner and in 1712, Germain Colladon. The scene ‘The Death of Cleopatra’ can be found on several of his enamel watches, but two of his best known subjects are ‘Roman Charity’ and ‘Religious Scene’. His signature appears as ‘Mussard’, ‘Jean Mussard pinx’ and ‘Mussard pinx’.
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Only a few watches like this one have survived to this day. Almost all of them can be found in famous collections and museums.