Attic Miniatures

By Panos Charalampakis

While on the usual look for more sets for my collection I found out a new editor, UK based, that looks promising, Attic Miniatures. At the moment they have some old Western Miniature sets that was rather difficult to aquire. Many British subject which usually are rare among the German editors with plans for their own designs in the future. Worth to keep an eye on these fellows.
They do have paypal and I got very fast and pleasant responses to my mails.
Link is http://www.attic-miniatures.com/

Leopold von Dessau vignette finished

By Panos Charalampakis

This is my first over 30mm figure (or group of figures anyway) that I finish. It’s a new set from Fredericus Rex engraved by Daniel Lepeltier and designed by Konrad Schultze. It is of 54mm and consists of 3 pieces, two sections of the house entrance and wall and the group of figures standing on the doorstep and the pavement. It is painted exclusively with oils straight over white primer. The background and the ground are painted without insisting on detail with numerous washes and dry brusing as I didn’t want to “steal” from the detail of the figures. Black, blues, browns and sienna reds were used for the washes while lighter tones of greys, red, greens (very sparingly) and whites in some spots were used for dry brushing. I confess I chickened out and I didn’t paint the sky myself that’s why I used an enlarged section of the sky of the actual painting.
The figures were based onto the painting that Konrad provides into his site and tried to follow as closely as I could the actual painting, although in some spots I deviated from it simply because I felt it suited the whole composition better. A different tone, a more or less pronounced cast shadow and so on. As usual, no paint were used straight from the tube but always added a 2nd (and sometimes a 3rd hue) to the base color for more color variation. That’s why no two whites or two blues etc have the same value. I won’t bother you with the exact mixes, although I have kept a small recipe of what I used for easy re mixing if I need a similar tone in the future. I’m sure that more things could be done, but I prefer set a limit when adding details, new shadows and lights or making corrections, otherwise I could spend a year just by adding, removing or correcting things. I prefer doing so and move to my next subject. Oh, and also for the first time I made the frame myself with some leftover laquered wood I had from my previous “round figure” life.

Leopold von Dessau und seine Annaliese

By Panos Charalampakis

Leopold von Dessau und seine Annaliese

Upon seeing the newly produced vignette from Konrad Schulte of Fredericus Rex, although not a fun of the period, I was instantly taken by its beauty. The Prince mounted onto his proud white horse is talking to a shy young lady while her father paying his respect to the Prince and the rest of the family observing the obviously rare incidence of meeting with a Prince. Designer is Mr Schulte himself while the engraver is Daniel Lepeltier. So by now you know what to expect in respect of quality of the piece. Simply first rate. Oh, I forgot to mention it’s a one-side only engraving.

Fig. 1

The new vignette of Fredericus Rex at 54mm


Fig. 2
The painting upon which the vignette was inspired.

Ok, but who was this man you might ask. Well I didn’t know also so I had to look through internet to try and find some things about his life. Here is a sort story that helps to understand who was this man and what were his achievements in life.

LEOPOLD I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (July 3, 1676 – April 7, 1747), called "the Old Dessauer" (der alte Dessauer), General Field Marshal in the Prussian army, was the only surviving son of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, and was born at Dessau.

Fig. 3
Leopold I von Dessau

From his earliest youth he was devoted to the profession of arms, for which he educated himself physically and mentally. He became colonel of a Prussian regiment in 1693, and in the same year his father's death placed him at the head of his own principality. Thereafter, during the whole of his long life, he performed the duties of a sovereign prince and a Prussian officer.
His first campaign was that of 1695 in the Netherlands, in which he was present at the siege of Namur. He remained in the field to the end of the war of 1697, the affairs of the principality being managed chiefly by his mother, Princess Henriette Catherine of Orange. In 1698 he married Anna Luise Rise, an apothecary's daughter of Dessau, in spite of his mother's long and earnest opposition, and subsequently he procured for her the rank of a princess from the emperor (1701). Their married life was long and happy, and the princess acquired an influence over the stern nature of her husband which she never ceased to exert on behalf of his subjects, and after the death of Leopold's mother she performed the duties of regent when he was absent on campaign. Often, too, she accompanied him into the field.
Leopold's career as a soldier in important commands begins with the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession. He had made many improvements in the Prussian army, notably the introduction of the iron ramrod about 1700, and he now took the field at the head of a Prussian corps on the Rhine, serving at the sieges of Kaiserswerth and Venlo. In the following year (1703), having obtained the rank of lieutenant-general, Leopold took part in the siege of Bonn and distinguished himself very greatly in the battle of Hochstadt, in which the Austrians and their allies were defeated by the French under Marshal Villars (September 20, 1703). In the campaign of 1704 the Prussian contingent served under Prince Louis of Baden and subsequently under Eugene, and Leopold himself won great glory by his conduct at Blenheim. In 1705 he was sent with a Prussian corps to join Prince Eugene in Italy, and on the 16th of August he displayed his bravery at the hard-fought battle of Cassano. In the following year he added to his reputation in the battle of Turin, where he was the first to enter the hostile entrenchments (September 7, 1706). He served in one more campaign in Italy, and then went with Eugene to join Marlborough in the Netherlands, being present in 1709 at the siege of Tournay and the battle of Malplaquet. In 1710 he succeeded to the command of the whole Prussian contingent at the front, and in 1712, at the particular desire of the crown prince, Frederick William, who had served with him as a volunteer, he was made a General Field Marshal. Shortly before this he had executed a coup de main on the castle of Mors, which was held by the Dutch in defiance of the claims of the king of Prussia to the possession. The operation was effected with absolute precision and the castle was seized without a shot being fired.
In the earlier part of the reign of Frederick William I, the prince of Dessau was one of the most influential members of the Prussian governing circle. In the war with Sweden (1715) he accompanied the king to the front, commanded an army of 40,000 men, and met and defeated Charles XII. in a severe battle on the island of Riigen (November 16). His conduct of the siege of Stralsund which followed was equally skilful, and the great results of the war to Prussia were largely to be attributed to his leadership in the campaign. In the years of peace, and especially after a court quarrel (1725) and duel with General von Grumbkow, he devoted himself to the training of the Prussian army. The reputation it had gained in the wars of 1675 to 1715, though good, gave no hint of its coming glory, and it was even in 1740 accounted one of the minor armies of Europe. That it proved, when put to the test, to be by far the best military force existing, may be taken as the summary result of Leopold's work. The "Old Dessauer" was one of the sternest disciplinarians in an age of stern discipline, and the technical training of the infantry, under his hand, made them superior to all others in the proportion of five to three (see War Of The Austrian Succession). He was essentially an infantry soldier; in his time artillery did not decide battles, but he suffered the cavalry service, in which he felt little interest, to be comparatively neglected, with results which appeared at Mollwitz. Frederick the Great formed the cavalry of Hohenfriedberg and Leuthen himself, but had it not been for the incomparable infantry trained by the "Old Dessauer" he would never have had the opportunity of doing so. Thus Leopold, heartily supported by Frederick William, who was himself called the great drill-master of Europe, turned to good account the twenty years following the peace with Sweden. During this time two incidents in his career call for special mention: first, his intervention in the case of the crown prince Frederick, who was condemned to death for desertion, and his continued and finally successful efforts to secure Frederick's reinstatement in the Prussian army; and secondly, his part in the War of the Polish Succession on the Rhine, where he served under his old chief Eugene and held the office of field marshal of the Empire.
With the death of Frederick William in 1740, Frederick succeeded to the Prussian throne, and a few months later took place the invasion and conquest of Silesia, the first act in the long Silesian wars and the test of the work of the "Old Dessauer's" lifetime. The prince himself was not often employed in the king's own army, though his sons held high commands under Frederick. The king, indeed, found Leopold, who was reputed, since the death of Eugene, the greatest of living soldiers, somewhat difficult to manage, and the prince spent most of the campaigning years up to 1745 in command of an army of observation on the Saxon frontier. Early in that year his wife died. He was now over seventy, but his last campaign was destined to be the most brilliant of his long career. A combined effort of the Austrians and Saxons to retrieve the disasters of the summer by a winter campaign towards Berlin itself led to a hurried concentration of the Prussians. Frederick from Silesia checked the Austrian main army and hastened towards Dresden. But before he had arrived, Leopold, no longer in observation, had decided the war by his overwhelming victory of Kesselsdorf (December 1 4, 1 745). It was his habit to pray before battle, for he was a devout Lutheran. On this last field his words were, "0 Lord God, let me not be disgraced in my old days. Or if Thou wilt not help me, do not help these scoundrels, but leave us to try it ourselves." With this great victory Leopold's career ended. He retired from active service, and the short remainder of his life was spent at Dessau, where he died on the 7th of April 1747.
While reading about this man I remembered a very peculiar and unique set edited by Scholtz (Berliner Zinnfiguren Serie No 100/158) consisting of 62 figures depicting a rather amusing incident which took place at a ballroom after a bet. Leopold ordered a platoon of infantry to march inside the ballroom, totally naked but fully armed and with their mitre-caps and boots on and fire a volley of shots through the windows. Weird humor indeed, but a nice idea for a boxed diorama for the all the funs out there. Set consists, besides the Prince, some gentlemen and ladies amused or disturbed by the incident, some furniture and of course the naked infantrymen.

Fig. 4
The Scholtz set (Berliner Zinnfiguren)

Painting Flats by Walter Fisher

This article was written for Campaigns magazine No 31 issue (March/April) by the famous flat painter Walter Fisher. Edited by Joe Salkowitz

PAINTING FLATS

You may have toyed with the idea of trying your hand at flats but let them be because of a number of reasons, one being that they are not readily available. However, with patience, you should be able to obtain them. There are a growing number of dealers in Great Britain and the United States who offer flats. Keep a lookout for their ads in the magazines. Then there are the makers, or "editors", as they call themselves, that are willing, under certain circumstances, to deliver overseas.Probably the greatest advantage of flats is the vast number of different figures available. Estimates run to 200,000 and new ones are added almost daily. You can choose from a multitude of poses. There are civilians and soldiers, running, sitting, walking, sleeping, fighting, eating their food (and disposing of it). There are animals, trees and houses. Practically all eras are covered from Adam and Eve to the landing on the moon, among them themes that are only scantily, if at all, covered by round figures, such as scenes from the Old Testament, from the Nibelungenlied or the Turkish wars, of Lands-knechts and Indians (the Asiatic as well as the American kind), of kings and beggars, of nobles and peasants. There is practically no theme in history not covered by flats, though there is a certain overrepresentation of Ancients, the Middle Ages, the Thirty and Seven Years Wars and Napoleonic’s.In their home countries flats still are often used by collectors to represent historical events with vast numbers involved. It is not uncommon to find dioramas with several thousand figures. This is possible because the raw, unpainted figure is relatively inexpensive. However, since the lifetime of a collector is limited, many people paint flats in a hasty manner. Personally, I consider this barbaric. The figure is the result of careful historic research and an artistic work of design and engraving. And in the end some painter comes along and covers it all with careless blots of paint, spoiling it thoroughly. Don't let this happen! Quality should never be given up in favor of quantity.

What tools and accessories do you need? If you have been painting round figures, you will probably have at home most of the supplies you need.One item that deserves your highest care in choice and treatment is the brush. Only the highest quality is fitted for the kind of work you will want to do. Trying to save a few pennies on brushes will result in hours spent in vain and frustration. The size should be 00 or 000 (some-limes also named 2/0 and 3/0 respectively).However, more important than the size is the point. It should be long and extremely sharp. When buying a brush, make the following test-Remove the protective piece of plastic tube, draw the brush softly across the back of your hand, moisten it and see whether the point is sharp again without single hairs standing off sideways. This test is necessary because some producers treat their brushes with spray, similar to that which women use on their hair. Don't worry, if the shopkeeper knows his business, he won’t mind the little procedure.Even with careful treatment a brush will not last eternally; the point will eventually blunt but you can use it for less fine detail work or under-coating and finally discard it.Your other tools need not be chosen with similar care. For cleaning the figures you need a sharp, pointed craft knife and a small file, preferably flat on one side, slightly rounded on the other. It is best suited to reach into the narrow corners of the figure.In addition, you'll need a palette with a smooth surface like glass or china to mix the paints on. Any tile or dish will do.For the thinner you need a small cup with a capacity of two to three cubic centimeters.To get a good hold on the figures while painting, prepare a few small pieces of wood, about half an inch square and four to five inches long and some tape, sticky on both sides.Last, but not least, you should not forget to spread some sheets of newspaper on the table, not only to protect the tabletop and thus keep out of domestic trouble, but also to clean your brushes on.Paints and thinnerUnfortunately, sitting here in Europe and writing for fellow collectors in the U.K. and U.S. 1 cannot recommend a certain brand of oil paint, since I do not know what brands are on the market in your countries. Let me, however, recommend this much: seek out the finest-ground, highest quality oil paints you can find. First-class paints are as important for the quality of your work as are the brushes. Don't shy away from the somewhat higher prices. One small tube of paint will last you for years, since you use very small amounts for a figure, nor will the paints be spoiled by time, if you keep the tubes closed.The paints you will need to start with are:Titian White, Ebony Black, Scarlet, Chrome Yellow, Ultramarine or Cobalt Blue, Prussian Blue, Burnt Siena, Burnt Umber, Dark Ochre, Flesh Ochre (a kind of light Reddish-Brown), English Red, Naples Yellow. You will note thatI didn't mention green. You can mix all shades of green out of Prussian Blue, Chrome Yellow and different reds or browns.For undercoating you can use matt paints as Humbrol, Airfix, etc. Of these you need white, black, red, blue and chocolate-brown. You don't have to be squeamish about the exact hue, since these priming colors are just to provide the underground for the oils.

For thinner I use a painting medium sold at art shops, which I mix with turpentine in a ratio of one part medium to two parts turps. This gives a fine silky finish, not too matt and not too glossy. You can increase the gloss by reducing the turpentine in the mixture and vice versa. Pure turpentine will give you a completely matt finish. Again, I'm afraid, you'll have to find out the correct painting medium yourself, since the one I use, "Mussini — Malmittel III", will probably not be for sale in your country.Of course, it's not sensible to mix up medium and turps for every painting session; it's better to prepare a somewhat larger amount in advance.Preparing the figure for paintingHaving cleaned the figure of all flash with your craft-knife and file, fasten it to one of your square wood pieces with tape. This will give you a good handhold and by laying it on its side you can paint the figure as if it were a piece of paper without the backside touching the tabletop.Now, using one of your second-class brushes, prime the figure with matt white. Do this by taking out a small lump of the pigment, which has collected at the bottom of the tin, with a toothpick or the end of your brush handle and put it on the palette. Thin it down well with your thinner mixture, then undercoat the figure with it. Take care not to clog up the fine details. The primer is only to take away the metal sheen and thus prepare the figure for the oils. It is not necessary that the priming give a shining white surface. It should be applied very thinly and it's quite alright if you see the gray metal shining through.After this first priming has dried thoroughly, which will take at least two hours, apply another coat, in the proper colors this time. Undercoat all larger areas (not the fine details) that are to be painted red, blue, black or Burnt Umber in their final stage with the matching matt colors. This will allow you to apply very thin oil colors later on, thus enabling you to bring out soft shades without an edge.Let this second coating dry for at least two hours before entering the final stage of painting.Painting with OilsPress a very small amount of oil color onto your palette (you need very little and unfortunately nobody has succeeded yet in finding a method to put paint back into the tube). Now moisten the brush with plenty of thinner and start thinning the paint to a creamy to watery consistency before applying it to the figure.It is a common mistake with beginners to apply paints too thickly. When you can see brush marks on the figure, the paint positively needs more thinning. It is next to impossible to achieve soft shading with a paint not sufficiently thinned.So put in thinner until you are sure that it's absolutely too thin, then put in some more and now, maybe, it's almost thin enough.However, if the paint should suddenly run off by itself and the undercoating look up at you — well, do you have to take my advice that literally?I stress this point so strongly because I know that the consistency of the color presents a stumbling block for many a beginner. The larger the area to be painted, the more fluid the color should be. The very fine details of a face, for instance, have to be painted with almost unthinned colors, just with a moist brush, while the relatively large area of a jacket needs an almost watery consistency. Keep these points in eye and do a bit of experimenting. You'll quickly get the knack.

Try to take as little paint on your brush as possible and try to keep it to the point. Not only will this save paint, it also helps to draw fine details and the brush is easier to clean.When finished with one color, dip the brush into the thinner without touching the bottom of Preparing the figure for painting Then, having sucked up fluid, pull it, flatly and softly across the newspaper on your tabletop. The paint is drawn out of the brush, together with the thinner, and sucked up by the paper. Repeat this four or five times until only clear thinner is left on the paper. Now you can use the brush for another color. Do not wash out he brush in the thinner, as this will leave surplus color in the cup and thus force you to change the fluid more often. There also is danger of damaging your precious brush in the process. Take care to pull the brush really very flatly across the paper, as this avoids bending the hairs sideways and also helps to draw the unwanted color to the point and from there to the paper.When finished with painting, stow the brushes standing vertically in a glass after cleaning them.Most people are somewhat shy to use artist's oil colors; the name implies that they are for professionals only and hard to handle. Well, it's exactly the other way round.I can't think of another sort of paint that is easier to use. Everybody who has used watercolors knows how hard it is to get soft shadings without visible borders, because the color dries up so fast. And if you slip up somewhere, the fault is almost impossible to correct. Not so with oils. They stay soft for many hours, which gives you plenty of time to achieve soft shadings by stroking softly with your brush. You can put wet oil paints side by side and they will not run into each other. If you wish them to do so, you have to help with your brush, which means that you have the process under control all the time.The amount of brushing the border between two shades of color and the consistency of the paints are decisive for the smoothness of your painting. Spend some time exercising!However, having mastered the technique, please keep in eye the following: It is wonderful to give a fine porcelain-like finish to the face of a beautiful lady, but absolutely unfitting for the coarse features of a hairy landsknecht. What I mean is: Keep in mind the character of the figure you are painting.If you should have the misfortune of slipping with your brush while painting with oils, this is annoying but no catastrophe. Just wait one or two days and paint it over. Oils are opaque; thank Heaven!Paint your figures step by step, finishing one small area after the other. Oil paint, although taking more than three days to harden completely, will start to thicken in a matter of a few minutes. It's better to work on a small part of the figure at a time, not more than half an inch across, better less; finish this completely before starting on the next. Life is much easier that way!Although oil colors take several days to harden completely, you usually will be able to add small details like buttons and emblems on flags twenty-four hours after you have painted the background on which the detail is to stand. With a round figure you can get away with a minimum of shading or none at all and still have an acceptable result; this is not so with a flat figure. It is up to the painter to add the third dimension with the brush.We see things in three dimensions because of two reasons. One, because we have two eyes and can see an object from two different points of view at the same time. This effect we cannot copy with the brush. Not so with the other reason. When light falls on a flat surface it is lighted evenly in its whole extent. If it, however, falls on a rounded, three-dimensional body, things are different.Those parts turned to the source of light shine in bright highlights; those parts lying sideways are grazed by the light and are medium-bright only, while the parts turned away from the light lie in dark shadows. At this point, novices to figure painting should maybe make a small experiment. Put some round object, say a beaker or pot lying on its side, under a lamp and in a moment you'll see what I mean.Now back to our figure. First you determine from which direction the light should fall on it. For a beginning I propose that we let the light shine down from above. It is easiest this way to make out which surfaces are turned toward the light and which lie in shadow. Later, when you have more practice, you can get more interesting effects by letting the light come from the side or even from below, from a campfire, maybe. Of course it's most important that the light come from the same direction for all figures belonging to the same group.When painting, you can work out the third dimension by brightening the lighted surfaces and darkening those in the shadow. This is done by mixing in a lighter color (usually, but not always, white), or a darker one (usually, but not always, black) into the basic color.The following table shows which lightening or darkening color belongs to which basic color.This is a chart that looks ok on the message page but not when it is posted. I will put two // to help you read the three columns of Basic Color//Shadows//Highlights. Ignore the word green, in brackets, in front of Black,the shadow, on the last two rows, it is some techincal error I could not correct.

Basic Color/ /Shadows/ /Highlights

Flesh Ochre/ /Burnt Siena//White (for human skin) Yellow (for other objects)

Burnt Siena/ /Black/ /White (for human skin) /Yellow (for other objects)

Red/ /English Red or/ /Yellow/Burnt Siena or//Black/

Chrome Yellow/ /Flesh Ochre or/ /White /English Red or Black/

Ultramarine/ /or Prussian Blue/ /White

Green/ /Prussian Blue or/ /White or /Black / /Chrome Yellow

English Red/ /Prussian Blue/ /Naples Yellow

Dark Ochre/ / Black / /White

Burnt Umber/ / Black / /White

There are a few basic colors that need special attention. Highlighting red with yellow is acceptable only if you allow for a slight orange sheen. If not, do not highlight at all but instead, darken the shadows strongly, deepen the medium lighted parts somewhat and leave the basic, unmixed color for the highlights only. This way, the paint will glow in a deep fiery red. Never lighten red with white as this will result in a dull, sick-looking pink.Things are similar with white and black. How you can highlight white or darken black? The answer is simple: You can't! There's no white that's whiter than white (and don't let producers of detergents tell you otherwise!) and there's no black blacker than black.The trick is to paint the medium-light parts not pure white or black but light or dark gray, leaving white for the highlights or black for the deepest of shadows.When lightening black by adding white, you may notice that the resulting gray sometimes has a somewhat dull look. This may be all right with some textiles but looks wrong on a fiery black horse or the hair of a beautiful senorita. A small touch of Prussian Blue mixed into the black will work wonders.Roughly speaking, there are two ways to lighten or darken the basic color.Method number one: Mixing paints on the figure: You paint the figure in basic color, then mix in white or some other light color for the highlights and black or some other dark color for the shadows. Most beginners find this method easier because it gives them time to think about where to put light and shadow while painting and allows a certain amount of experimenting.Method number two: Mixing paints on the palette: You determine which parts should be light, medium and dark before you touch the figure with your brush, mix the three shades on your palette, apply them to their proper places on the figure and soften the borders. I prefer this method because it allows me to mix up the exact hue I wish to have. I can mix the paints thoroughly without the danger of smearing them across the figure by accident.Some colors can be painted by this method only. For instance, when lightening English Red with Naples Yellow (a combination which looks very good on bay horses), you'll find that Naples Yellow has such a weak coloring power compared to English Red, that it is next to impossible to lighten up the latter. You can solve this problem by mixing a portion of Naples Yellow with just a trace of English Red on the palette and applying it to the highlight zone.Method two really is the easier painting technique. Its only disadvantage is that it takes a certain amount of practice in abstract thinking to determine which parts are to be lighted or shadowed.I have written how to achieve soft shading between two colors or two different shades of the same color. But sometimes you will want the opposite effect. The border between, for instance, jacket and trousers of a figure may seem too soft, with too little contrast. In this case use the following trick:Take the brush with the finest point and draw a thin black line along the border, then carefully integrate the line into the darker of the two adjacent colors. If you leave the line as it is, it will not look bad but it will give your figure the character of a colored ink drawing rather than a painting.When starting to paint flats, one usually is afraid to put in really strong shadows. If you have trouble overcoming this, take a look at pictures of an old master such as Rembrandt or Rubens. You'll see that the strong plasticity and depth of their figures results from the bold darkening of shadows. One of the best methods to improve your painting is to study the technique of professionals as often as possible.Painting the FaceMeeting a person, the first things we usually look at are the face and the eyes; they are the features that turn people into persons. Since most of our figures represent human beings, this also goes for miniatures.A face is a landscape with hills and ridges, with highlights and shadows. And yet, it is not too hard to paint, when you know where to put highlights and shadows.If the source of light lies above the head the following parts are to be highlighted: The forehead (if not shadowed by the brim of a hat), the bridge and wings of the nose, the top of the cheek bones, the lips, the tip of the chin, the jaw line and the rim and lobes of the ears.Shadowed are the temples, the eye sockets, the sides of the nose, the nostrils, the underside of the cheek bones, the mouth, the horizontal fold below the lower lip, the folds that run from the sides of the nose to the sides of the mouth, the neck below chin and jaw line.Don't be afraid to paint bold contrasts. The details are so small that you have to overdo things to bring out the desired effect. People in show business exaggerate their makeup strongly for the stage. This is necessary because of the distance to the spectators. It's similar with our figures. A 30mm figure, viewed from about one foot, is the same size as a life-size person from a distance of 60 feet.A very important detail of the face is the eyes. Start by painting a deep shadow into the eye sockets. And, if you wish, you may stop right here! Looking at a person from 60 feet, see how much you can see of the eyes at this distance!If, however, your ambitions run to a higher level, paint the eyebrows. Below them paint narrow lines of light skin color. These are the tops of the eyelids. Now paint the eyelashes with thin curved black lines. No matter how hard you try or how sharp your brush tip may be, these lines will probably be too thick. Don't worry; this will be remedied in the next step. Paint the eyeball white or very light grey and in doing this cover up the black line of the eyelash to such an extent that only a narrow shaving is left visible. Don't hesitate to paint on the wet color. Colors should be practically unthinned for the fine details and so they will take the over painting without complaints. And now, finally, put in the black pinpoint that stands for iris and pupil, taking care that it is in contact with the eyelash or, better still, it is only a slightly thicker part of the lash.Looking somebody in the eye you will see that the iris and pupil usually are partly covered by the lid. Needless to say, the pupils should be aligned parallel (unless you should be painting a miniature of Marty Feldman).Basic Skin ColorsEuropeans: Basic color is a mixture of Flesh Ochre and white; add more white for the highlights, Burnt Siena for the shadows.For South Europeans, Turks, East Indians, etc., add a bit of violet.Japanese and Chinese have a little Chrome Yellow added to their basic color.American Indians have a mixture of Flesh Ochre and Burnt Siena for basic color, white for the highlights, black for the shadows.Africans come in a multitude of hues from light brown like milk coffee to blue-black. Accordingly, you can use the whole range of brown colors like ochre. Burnt Siena, Burnt Umber to black mixed with Prussian Blue. Make sure to work out strong contrasts with the help of white, brightly shining highlights. Negroes often have rather bright reflexes on their skins.When painting lips, do not paint them too bright a red; just mix a small amount of red into the basic flesh color. The same goes for cheeks and noses with the exception, maybe, of a certain group of elder gentlemen who bear their lifelong preference for a good glass of Port brightly visible in their faces. Here you may add a touch of reddish blue.Painting metalIf you have painted figures or models before, you know how hard it is to paint a metal surface so that it gives a convincing impression.You probably used metallic paints. This also works with flats but the disadvantage of these bronzes, the coarseness of their pigments, is even more visible, since the painted areas are so small. However, the result is quite acceptable if you shade the colors somewhat, using black for silver colored metals and Burnt Umber for gold bronze.Flats, being made of a brightly shining metal, offer another alternative. After having cleaned the figure from all flash, do not prime it. Instead, mix up a water wash of paint and let it run over those parts of the figure that are to stay metallic. The wash will settle in the deeper-lying parts of the engraving, bringing out the details more distinctly. You can reinforce this effect by polishing the figure softly with a paper napkin after a few hours. Use a wash of black for silver for iron, of black mixed with PrussianBlue for steel, of Burnt Siena for rusty metal, of Indian Yellow for gold. After the wash has dried for some hours you can add shadows in the proper places, then undercoat the surfaces that are to be non-metallic and proceed painting as usual.There still is a third method.For centuries shining metal has been painted by great masters of the art without ever using metal bronzes. How did they do it? Take an art print and try to analyze it. The result is surprising. Shining armor is composed of planes of white, black and grey, gold treasures consist of Naples Yellow, orange and brown tones, arranged in such a way that the eye is cheated into seeing bright metal. Have a try at it yourself, see whether you like it and try to copy it. If not, you still have the other two methods.

Painting small detailsIt is self-evident that small details as buttons, badges, emblems on shields or flags should be painted with the finest brush available and with almost unthinned colors. If painting white or yellow details on a black background or vice versa everything is all right. If you, however, paint yellow buttons in a white tunic or a white eagle on a red flag, the contrast may be insufficient. Use a little trick here. First paint the details in black, then, about 24 hours later, when the paint is dry, paint it over in the proper color, leaving just the slightest idea of black visible around the edges. This procedure takes some patience, but the result is well worth it.How to obtain/lotsHoping to have whetted your appetite for flats, I can't leave you without knowing how to get your hands on them. Unfortunately, the dealers that stock them are thinly spread outside Germany. If you cannot get hold of one of them, try your luck with the editors. Don't be afraid to write to them in your own language. English is understood by many Germans and every editor surely knows somebody who can translate for him, if he does not speak it himself. Now, it's not easy to order something if you don't know what the editor has to offer. First, write to ask for a catalogue or list, enclosing an I.R.C. Most editors have illustrated catalogues, for which they usually charge a fee or a non-illustrated list, which they give free. Although the text is in German, you should manage with the help of a dictionary. If you are too impatient to wait for the catalogue, you also can ask the editor to send figures of a certain value of this or that era together with the catalog, leaving the exact choice to the editor.When first making contact, you might find him asking for advance payment or payment by reimbursement. Do not be insulted. Most editors are not professionals and they may have had trouble with one customer or another and feel that it is harder to come to their money if they should hit on a foul customer on the other side of the border. However, there is no personal offense meant. And at your second order they probably will treat you as an old fellow collector.Have some patience; many editors work during the day and have time for figures in the evening only.

Le Petit Soldat 2007

Here are the entries of this year's Le Petit Soldat exhibition. Although the quality is excellent, flat figures were too few compared with other entries unfortunately .

Franzoia Serge

Yves Durand

Amalia Retuerto
Unknown artist

First four Cantiniere couples

By Panos Charalampakis

These are the first four couples of my Cantiniere ladies of the 2nd empire from Segom. They are designed by Jean Barriere and engraved by Daniel Lepeltier at 30mm based on Rousselot plates. So from upper left going clockwise we have:

Upper Left: Cantiniere des Cent-Garde while being presented to the Emperor and his wife.

Upper right: Cantiniere des Chasseurs a pied de la Garde.

Lower right: Cantiniere des Zouaves.

Lower left: Cantiniere du 6eme Rgt. de Dragons.

In the next article, four more couples will be presented untill all 20 of them are ready to be displayed as a collection framed with their correspodnent name tags.

Cantinieries of the 2nd Empire

By Panos Charalampakis

Another new set arrived today as a surprise from my wife (who said wifes aren't a useful thing! ). And what a set indeed! Actually it is 2 sets from the French Segom (serie No 21 and serie No 25) depicting cantinieres of the 2nd empire of various regiments.

The following regiments are represented:

Serie No 21

1) Grenadiere de la Guard.

2) Artillerrie de la Guard.

3) Voltigeurs de la Guard.

4) Dragons de l'Imperatrice.

5) Zouaves de la Guard.

6) Chasseurs a pied de la Guard.

7) Lanciers de la Guard.

8) Guides de la Guard.

9) Cantiniere des Cent-garde.

Serie No 25

1) Chasseurs a cheval de la Guard.

2) Chasseurs d'Afrique.

3) Cuirassiere de la Guard.

4) 1st Hussars.

5) Train de la Guard.

6) Gendarmerie de la Guard.

7) Genie de la Guard.

8) Spathis de la ligne.

9) Infanterie.

10) 4rth Hussars.

11) Dragons de la ligne.

Detail is really good in designing and engraving with almost no flash. Detail is very good with faces full of character and hands representing what they suppose to represent: hands and not blobs of metal that need painting to show what they are.I am not 100% sure for the historic accuracy in detail since I haven't looked at them closely along with my references yet, but I'm sure it will be excellent. In my opinion, the fact that they come in pairs with a man from their regiment, will produce a really lovely result when they are all painted and displayed together. Some of them come along with a small child interacting pleasingly with the pair. Nice touch.Another strong point is the references that they come with. An A4 four page leaflet along with excellent plates for each of the figures in A4 format and in full color. Jean Barriere, owner of Segom have done a great job on this, setting the golden standards for all other flat manifacturers and sellers. This is what it should be when you're getting a historic figure in whatever form it is.

Here are the two sets as they came packed with that plastic bubble thingies inside their cardboard boxes.



Close detail of one pair.

All references and plates came into these A4 envelopes.

An example of a plate. In A4 format they are so nicely detailed that you virtually don't need any other reference besides the plate.

Price for both sets was 120 euros plus 10 euros for posting to Greece. Considering what these two sets offer, along with the maginificent plates, I believe its more than fair.All in all, if I had to grade it I would put a 10 out of 10 easily and without second thoughts.

More about Segom in their excellent site, full of figures and informatio, at http://www.figurines-soldats.com/

Carribean Pirates

By Panos Charalampakis

Here is my new set, small this time, that served as a relaxation between my usual big sets of figures. Its from our dear Golberg ladies, designed by Luicien Rousselot and engraved by Raphael Pepin in 30mm (Code BO 28). Its title is Carribean pirates 1680-1730. Quality of figures was very good, and preparation was only minimal cleaning up, washing and primering with thinned humbrol white. Detail was a bit simple for my taste but I guess this is what these people supposed to be, without glamorous garments or weaponry.

When I paint figures I use to think of them as part of history so I try to find infos about them, of what were they, where they lived and how, what they did and so on. It helps me understand the figures better and I like to think of them as a part of a historic event. So, allow me to tell you some few worlds about these fellows.

What we know as pirates started from some people called Bucaneers, European that moved to the Caribbean region and they started their life as hunters and farmers. They used whatever they could find as clothing and weaponry, mainly animal hides and leather, wool and linen. They were armed with simple knives, swords and hunting rifles. Later, as Spanish hunt them down, poverty was too much and Spanish galleons were in abundance carrying treasures from America to Europe, they started what we know today as piracy. Organized in smaller or bigger crews, with small vessels, harassed the Spanish treasure ships and later nearly everything that was of some profit. Besides ships, they also raided Spanish colonies in central America for gold, animals, slaves and various other goods.

Here is where I have put my small set of pirates. Crew members of a pirate gang of Blackbeard or Henry Morgan, both very famous pirates of their age, raiding. Jamaica, Portobello, Maracaibo or Panama city. Furious, rough and uncivilized people always willing to grab some treasure, rum or woman.

My pirates are painted in oil as usual, with simple colors for simple, cheap and worn clothes and worn leather belts and scabbards.

Funeral of Goustavous Adolphous Part II

By Panos Charalampakis

Funeral of Goustavous Adolphous Part II

These are figures from Mohr's set depiciting the funeral proccesion of the Swedish king Goustavous Adolphous, 30mm in size painted with oils. This article consists the rest of the figures. For the first half of the set see previous article (12 July).

The whole set took about 4 months of painting and studying about it. It was a really enjoyable experience even if the large amount of figures were a pain some times. Patterns of the banners and flags are actual patterns, not imaginary. All metal surfaces of armor and weapons are done with non metallic oils (i.e. white, black, paynes gray, various ochres and browns).

Above:

The whole set ready to depart for the frame specialist shop to get its wooden frame. Arrangement of the figures is random, final placement will take place in the framing shop.

From left to right:

1) Wrangel.

2) Rattsherr.

3) Axel Oxelstierna.

From left to right:

1) Foot cuirassier trooper.

2) Officer of the guards.

3) Trooper of the guards.

From left to right:

1) Trumpeter.

2) Timbalier.

From left to right:

1) Banner.

2) Groom.

3) Banner of Herzog Bernhard von Saschen.

Both left and right:

1 & 2) Royal banner.

Both left and right:
1 & 2) Mounted cuirassier carrying royal banner.

Both left and right:
1 & 2) Foot soldiers carrying banners.

From left to right:

1) Foot banner.

2) Wilhelm von Weimar.

3) Pikeman.

Kulmbach Show

The 2007 Kulmbach exhibition took place from Friday 10th- Sunday 12th of August in Germany. People that visited the show uploading their pictures at the British Flat Figure Society's forum. Please visit our society's forum at http://www.britishflatfigures.org.uk/forum/default.asp the next 2-3 days for some spectacular flat work by many known and not so known artists. Pictures can be found at General and Gallery sections.

Marshal Jean-BaptisteJourdan

By Panos Charalampakis

Marsal

Jean-Baptiste, count Jourdan

(Limoges, 1762 - Paris, 1833)

Jourdan, wire of a surgeon, engages at 16 years, in 1778, in the Armies of the king and combat in America. On its return in France, it is reformed for disease and is established as draper. When comes the Revolution, its liberal ideas and its military past make it elect Capitaine of Hunters. He climbs the hierarchical levels and is distinguished in Belgium in 1792. July 30, 1793, it is named major general and obtains little after the command as a head of the Army of North. LE October 16 and 17, it gains the battle of Wattignies. Suspect to have been opposed to the plans of the Committee of the Public Hello, it is relieved but soon recalled and placed at the head of the Army of the Moselle, March 9, 1794. After have take Dinant and Charleroi, it gain the decisive victory of Fleurus, the 26 June 1794, with head of various body which take the name of Army of Sambre-and-Meuse. It beats the Austrians on June 4, 1796 in Altenkirchen. In 1796, beaten beyond the Rhine, it is replaced by Hoche.
Eread with the Council of Cinq-Cents in 1797, it makes vote on March 5, 1798 the law on the conscription which bears its name. In October 1798, it takes the command of the Army of the Danube and beats the Austrians with Stockach (March 26, 1799). But it is obliged to fold up itself and is replaced by the Masséna General. It leaves the army on April 3, 1799.
In October 1799, it starts by being opposed, as a néo-Jacobin and a member of the Council of Cinq-Cents, with the coup d'etat of the 18-Brumaire. However, it joins quickly in Bonaparte. The First Consul, who wishes to be surrounded of the heroes of the Revolution, names it on July 21, 1800 ambassador in Piedmont. It is made advise of State in 1802, then senator and finally marshal in 1804. But Napoleon does not entrust to him significant stations, if not the Army of Italy in 1805.Jourdan follows Joseph Bonaparte to Naples, as governor of the city in 1806 then to Spain. It is named major-General of the Spanish Army. It takes part in the campaigns of Spain in 1808 and 1809. It controls the French Armies at the time of the battle of Vitoria (June 21, 1813). Re-entered to France, it remains in a half-disgrace. Napoleon makes it nevertheless even France during the Hundred Days and controlling as a head of the Army of the Rhine. Under the Restoration, Jourdan joins in Louis XVIII who confers the title of count to him, then in Louis-Philippe, who appoints it provisional police chief with the Foreign Affairs, finally governor of the Invalids. It dies in Paris in 1833.

Plate by Marcello Grimaldi

Jean Baptiste Jourdan. He has the classic ceremony coat of Marshall, with gold embroideries in oak leaves. Well distinguished general during the first campaigns after the Revolution and in the Consulate (Italy 1797 and 1800), he was one of first Marshalls created on May, the 19 of 1804.

http://ameliefr.club.fr/E-Jourdan.html

Marshal Laurent Gouvion Saint Cyr

By Panos Charalampakis

Marshal

Laurent, marquis of Gouvion-Saint-Cyr

(1812)(Toulon, 1764 - Hyères, 1830)

Bivouac of the battle of Polotsk on August 18, 1812National museum of Versailles and Trianons

Born: April 13, 1764

Died: March 17, 1830

Place of Birth: Toul

Cause of Death: Natural causes

Gouvion, wire of a tanner, is only three years old when his/her mother leaves the residence. After a voyage two years in Italy, he becomes Master of drawing, in Toul then in Paris. In 1792, it decides to engage in the republican army. It is there that it adds Saint-Cyr to his name, to be distinguished from his/her cousins. It fights in the Army of the Moselle. It intelligent, is informed, able, it has an excellent blow ofœit; Gouvion-saint-Cyr climbs the military levels quickly. June 16, 1794, it is already major general, a record of speed. It controls a division with the Army of the Rhine-and-Moselle and is distinguished with the seat from Mainz. In 1798, it receives the provisional command of the Army of Rome, which invades the Papal States and creates the Roman Republic. Gouvion brings back the discipline in the row of the officers, who have just relieved Masséna. It is pointed out on July 26, 1798. It is useful in the Army of Italy and takes part, under Joubert, with the battle of Novi, August 15, 1799. After the battle, it manages to make the junction with the remainder of the army. Quand Masséna comes to replace Joubert, killed with Novi, Gouvion obtains to be affected with the Army of Italy and beats the Austrian armies. For his exploits in Italy, Bonaparte decrees to him the patent of first lieutenant of the Army and a sabre of honor. Affected with the Army of Germany under Moreau, it seizes Freiburg and takes part in the battle of Hohenlinden, December 3, 1800. In 1801, it is charged to assist Lucien Bonaparte in Spain. Two years later, he is a lieutenant of the occupying army in Naples, under Murat. However, it appears a little too independent on the political level with the taste of its superiors. In 1804, it will not be made marshal, but becomes colonel-General of the cuirassiers. In 1805, it is useful in the army which must subject the kingdom of Naples, whose Joseph is the new King.
IL controls an army corps during the program of Poland of 1807. In 1808, one entrusts the command of VIIème body to him, with white card to operate in Catalonia. Gouvion-saint-Cyr aligns victory over victory. In spite of the lack of artillery and ammunition, it manages to take the fort of Pinks on December 4, 1808 and Barcelona. It then receives commands which it considers unrealizable, learns its replacement and leaves its station prematurely. This new mark of independence is worth the stops to him and new forty.
EN 1811, Napoleon recalls it to the Council of State and entrusts to him the command of VIème body of the Grande Armée. Gouvion-saint-Cyr gains battles; he demolishes in particular Wittgenstein with Polotsk, August 7, 1812 and receives the stick of marshal. March 1813, sick, it re-enters to Paris. Controlling an army corps, it takes part in the battle of Dresden (August 26-27, 1813). Napoleon entrusts the defense of the city to him, but with court of food and ammunition, it capitulates on November 11, 1813. He is a prisoner until June 1814. When it returns to France, Louis XVIII is on the throne and A named Pair of France. With the return of Napoleon of the island of Elba, Gouvion, in Orleans, makes carry the white rosette to its men.

Plate by Marcello Grimaldi

Laurent Gouvion Saint CyrRepresented here with the uniform of Colonel General of the Cuirassiers, personally studied for him to wear during the ceremony of the "Sacre", when Napoleon self proclaimed Emperor. Talented artist, painter, student of the Roman Empire and fine arts, and also actor of theatre, he began the military career as drawer of maps for the French Army.

http://www.napoleonic-officers.net/web/officers/G/gouvionStCyr.html

http://ameliefr.club.fr/E-Gouvion.html

http://napoleonic-literature.com/Book_15/V1C5.htm

http://www.napoleon.org/fr/salle_lecture/biographies/files/gouvion-saint-cyr.asp

Marshal Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte

By Panos Charalampakis

Marsal

Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte

Portrait by Kinson
National museum of the castle of Versailles and Trianons

The only case of independent success in the entourage close to the Emperor. Bernadotte, which one called Sergent Beautiful-Leg, is the single marshal who crosses the Revolution and the Empire to finish on a throne!
This lawyer wire enrôle in the royal army in 1780. It is the Revolution and the war with Austria which enable him to become officer. Kléber names him sergeant general. In 1797, Bernadotte leaves the Army of the Rhine to give his support for Bonaparte to Italy.After the peace of Campoformio, Bonaparte gives him a command subordinate. The Directory entrusts to him a short mission of ambassador in Vienna then appoints him Minister of the War from July to September 1799. Bernadotte reorganizes the army, then badly in point, but the Directors end up drawing aside him. His antipathy for Bonaparte becomes manifest. He refuses to engage frankly in the strike of State of the 18-Brumaire, which is worth a reputation of néo-Jacobin to him. Become controlling Army of the West, his name is mixed with the conspiracy with «the pots with butter»(in which circulated of the tickets anti-Bonapartists). Moreover, he marries Désirée Clary, formerly been engaged to Bonaparte, now sister-in-law of Joseph.He becomes marshal in 1804 and prince of Laying-Corvo two years later, although there remains discrete in the great battles, as in Austerlitz for example (December 2, 1805). At the time of the double battle of Auerstadt and Iéna, October 14, 1806, Bernadotte, which has the role of supporting the body of Davout to the catches with the large one of the Prussian army, awaits the evening to move! Napoleon does not seem to hold rigour of it to him.On the other hand, when it is a question of continuing the remainders of the Prussian army, he fits the boots of seven miles to traverse all Prussia from the south in north. After having forced the Prussians of Blücher to capitulate in open country, he treats the officers of Swedish division made captive with Lübeck with courtesy and respect. This behavior, specimen with the eyes of the Diet of Stockholm, as well as the desire of Sweden to approach France to counter Russia, has an unexpected consequence: August 21, 1810, the States General of Œretro choose this French marshal as hereditary prince of Sweden. Napoleon will not oppose it, would be this only because one French marshal on the throne of Gustave-Adolphe is one of the prettiest turns played in England.For the moment, he still fights under the commands of Napoleon. It is during the campaign of Poland, in 1807, that he shows his best control of the command. He folds up brilliant manner towards the Russian armies of Benningsen, making it possible to Napoleon to engage the maneuver of Eylau (February 8, 1807).
On the other hand, his body takes part neither in this last battle, nor with that of Friedland (June 14, 1807). Bernadotte is finally relieved by the Emperor for control of the Saxon body of which he has the command at the time of the battle of Wagram (July 5-6, 1809). His body does not manage to take the Prussian lines and is folded up in rout at the time of the first day of the battle (July 5). The following day, whereas the forces under the command of Napoleon are victorious, he launches an eulogistic proclamation to his troops, which had relaxed the day before.Bernadotte, called near the Swedish throne, August 21, 1810, cherished by Charles XIII, appears a true Swedish. He abjures Catholicism and takes with care the businesses of his future kingdom. The interests of his new fatherland run up against those of France. If Bernadotte yields initially to the injunctions of Napoleon and declares the war in England, he reconsiders his decision since 1812 and signs an alliance with the tsar, Alexandre 1st. In 1813, Sweden enters in the coalition against France. Bernadotte brings an army of 30 000 men and his knowledge of the napoleonian tactics . His army beats Oudinot at Gross-Beeren (August 23, 1813) and Ney at Dennewitz (September 6, 1813). In Leipzig (October 16-19, 1813), he once again shows good maneuver, but avoids directly crossing iron with his rival.
At the time of the campaign of France, in 1814, Bernadotte controls the Army of North. He invades his old fatherland while passing by Holland and Belgium. Without being determining, his role was very significant in the rout of the French Army. Some speak about him like future king of France. It will not be the case, but he obtains Norway, January 14, 1814, in reward of his services. February 5, 1818, he succeeds Charles XIII, under the name of Charles XIV, king of Sweden and of Norway. He is the ancestor many monarchs who reign today still in Sweden in Norway, but also in Luxembourg, in Belgium and in Denmark. Beautiful course for the former republican sergeant Beautiful-Leg, which one says that he carried on the chest Mort «tattooing to the kings»!

Plate by Marcello Grimaldi

Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte. This rare uniform of Republican style is reprised from a portrait executed in 1807, already in the Imperial period, out of spite to Napoleon, cordially hated. Bernadotte would represent his love for Republican period and democracy, because he did not want an Emperor and his power. Owing to his contrast with Napoleon, when the Kingdom of Sweden, allied with France after some years of wars, asked to Napoleon for an heir for his old King Charles XIII, after the death of the crown Prince, Napoleon was very happy to send away Bernadotte. But he became King, with the name of Charles XIV, and betrayed his Country, entering in war during the campaign of 1813 with the Coalison against Napoleon and France.

http://ameliefr.club.fr/E-Bernadotte.html

Marsal Jean Lannes

By Panos Charalampakis

Jean Lannes,

duke of Montebello,

Marshal (1804).

(Lectoure (Gers), 1769 - Vienna, 1809)

In uniform of under-Lieutentenant with the 2nd Battalion of Gers in 1792, by Guerin.

National museum of Versailles and Trianons

Born: April 10, 1769
Died: May 31, 1809
Place of Birth: Lectoure
Cause of Death: Mortally wounded at Aspern-Essling

This wire of stable boy gives up his work of apprentice dyer for enrôler in a battalion of volunteers in 1792. Its courage returns it quickly celebrates. Drawn aside for political reasons in 1795, whereas he is an already head of brigade, he re-enlists the following year for the campaign of Italy, like private. He is under the commands of the General, Bonaparte, who quickly restores it with the rank of head of brigade. Lannes is one of those which precipitate ahead with the bridge of Lodi (May 10, 1796) to encourage the soldiers to face enemy artillery. November 14, it receives two balls with battle of Arcole. The following day, learning that the fight continues, it saddle its horse and precipitates on the place of the battle, to fall soon disappeared after having received a blow on the head.
He is still in Rivoli (January 14, 1797) two months, hardly given later. Bonaparte, who noticed his exploits, eulogistically quotes it in his report/ratio and names it brigadier general. The two men become friendly. Lannes will not be able to cease besides addressing as tu the Emperor lately crowned. After Rivoli, Lannes takes the town of Imola. The pope decides to conclude a treaty. Bonaparte dispatches Lannes to him. This last, while it discusses pleasantly with sovereign pontiff, restores the command in the Papal States, in particular by the arrest and the execution of some leaders.
C' is then the campaign of Egypt, in 1798. Lannes is distinguished particular lies to the head office of Saint-Jean d' Acre (March 19 at May 20), where it is seriously wounded. In Aboukir on July 25, 1799, it takes fears it Turkish with the head of two battalions. Named major general, it re-enters to France with Bonaparte to take part in the coup d'etat of the 18-Brumaire. The First Consul entrusts the command of the consular Guard to him. At the time of the second campaign of Italy, with the head of the avant-garde, it fights in Montebello (June 9, 1800) and in Marengo (June 14, 1800). At the time of this last battle, it contains the Austrian attack during seven hours.
He is made marshal on May 19, 1804. It controls the 5th body at the time of the campaign of Austria of 1805 and the left wing with Austerlitz, December 2. It takes part in the campaign of Prussia in 1806 and beats prince Louis of Prussia with Saalfeld. Present still with Iéna (October 14, 1806), it controls the center of the Grande Armée there. Wounded in Pultusk (December 26, 1806). It takes again to it command lies of an army corps. It controls the avant-garde of the Grande Armée with Friedland and resists during four hours the attacks of the Russian army of Benningsen. In 1808, it is in Spain where it gains the battle of Tudela and directs the head office of Saragossa. It is made duke of Montebello. It remains in Spain until 1809.
Napoléon calls it near him for the campaign of Austria. It takes part in the operation of Landshut and takes part in the battle of Eckmühl (April 22, 1809). Its body is present at the seat of Ratisbon, and it empart him even of a scale to climb the walls. One of its aide-de-camps arrives at in empêcher.A Aspern, Lannes advances on the troops of the Charles archduke to divide them into two. The manœuvre succeeds but the bridges which make the junction between the two parts of the French Army are broken. The men of Lannes find themselves isolated under Austrian fire. Their head is with the face when it receives a ball of gun. Transferred onto rifles towards the island of Lobau, it is cut down by the two legs. During six days, Lannes fails. The Emperor comes to collect his last words. May 31, 1809, it succumbs in Vienna where it was transported. Its body rests in the Pantheon. Lannes is the first marshal of Empire died in the combat.

Plate by Marcello Grimaldi

Jean Lannes, one of the three Marshalls died in battle (Bessières and Poniatowski the others). Honest, courageous and well estimated by Napoleon. Here he has a red coat, instead of the classic blue, to remember his charge on 1807 of Colonel General of the Swiss troops included in the French Army

http://www.napoleonic-officers.net/web/officers/L/lannes.html

http://ameliefr.club.fr/E-Lannes.html

http://napoleonic-literature.com/Book_15/V1C6.htm

http://www.napoleon.org/en/reading_room/biographies/files/lannes.asp

The Funeral of Gustavus II Adolphus Part I

By Panos Charalampakis

This will be a two part article regarding Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus the 2nd. The set is depiciting the funeral of the Swedish King after his death at the Battle of Ludzen. In the first part some historic notes along with a general guide of the painting is presented. Twenty three out of a total of forty three figures are ready and presented here. The rest twenty figures, along with some specific information on painting, will be the topic of the second part, and will presented as soon as the figures are ready.

PART I

Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden

Above:
Gustav II Adolf (also known as Gustaf Adolf the Great).

Historical Notes

Swedish Gustavus II Adolphus; December 9, 1594 – November 6. 1632), widely known by the Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus and referred to by contemporary Protestants as the Lion of the North, was King of Sweden from 1611 until his death. He is the only Swedish king to be styled "the Great". He was born in Stockholm, the son of Charles IX of the Vasa dynasty and Christina of Holstein-Gottorp.
He was King of Sweden from 1611, and as such, he was one of the major participants in the Thirty Years' War. Gustav Adolf was married to the daughter of the elector of Brandenburg-Prussia, Maria Eleonora, and chose the Prussian city of Elbing as the base for his operations in Germany. He died in battle on November 6, 1632 at Lützen in Germany.
During his reign, Gustav Adolf founded the city of Gothenburg as well as a number of smaller cities. He is also the founder of the University of Tartu in Tartu, Estonia, which then belonged to the Kingdom of Sweden. At this time, the three largest cities in the Swedish kingdom were Riga (the capital of Latvia), Stockholm and Tallinn (capital of Estonia). Gustavus Adolphus organized the strongest army of the early seventeenth century, courageously led his forces from the front, and earned the title of the "Father of Modern Warfare" because of his innovative skills in the tactical integration of infantry, cavalry, artillery, and logistics. His advancements in military science made Sweden the dominant Baltic power for the next one hundred years. Future commanders who studied and admired Gustavus included Napoleon I.
As a general, Gustav Adolf is famous for employing mobile artillery on the battlefield, as well as very aggressive tactics, where attack was stressed over defense and mobility emphasized over the usual linear tactics. His musketeers were widely known for their shooting accuracy and reload speed, three times faster than any contemporary rivals. Carl von Clausewitz and Napoleon Bonaparte considered him one of the greatest generals of all time. He was famed for consistency of purpose, and amity with his troops.
The king was an active participant in his battles. He was prone to lead charges himself at crucial moments, and was wounded several times as a result, including gunshot wounds to the neck, throat and the abdomen. Because a musketball was lodged in his neck near the spine and would cause extreme pain if he wore the customary two-part metal shell cuirass, the king adopted a flexible armor of hide. This is what he wore in his final battle. His leather armor is currently on display in the Livrustkammaren at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.
Gustav Adolf occasionally used the name Captain Gars, especially early in his reign, to travel incognito. Gars is derived from the initials of "Gustavus Adolphus Rex Sueciae", Latin for "Gustav Adolf King of Sweden". He was a highly enlightened ruler, and held the Swedish nobility on a firm leash, supporting both the merchant and worker class against the nobility.
Gustav Adolf was killed at the Battle of Lützen, when, at a crucial point in the battle, he became separated from his troops while leading a cavalry charge into a dense smog of mist and gunpowder smoke. After his death, his wife initially kept his body, and later his heart, in her castle for over a year. His remains (including his heart) now rest in Riddarholmskyrkan in Stockholm.

Above:

Battle of Lutzen

Before Gustavus, groups of uncoordinated mercenaries composed most armies, with little overall organization or chain of command. The Lion of the North (as he was known) instituted permanent units, assigned a fixed chain of command, and established a philosophy of cooperation among all combatants. Instead of independent action by many different parts, the entire Swedish army now united to fight as a single team. Gustavus's use of supply lines and bases and his integration of infantry, cavalry, and artillery enabled him to form the first truly professional army in military history.
In February 1633, following the death of the king, the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates decided that his name would be styled Gustav Adolf the Great (or Gustaf Adolf den Store in Swedish). No such honor has been bestowed on any other Swedish monarch since.
The crown of Sweden was inherited in the Vasa family, and from Charles IX's time excluded those Vasa princes who had been traitors or descended from deposed monarchs. Gustav Adolf's younger brother had died years ago, and therefore there were only female heirs left. Maria Eleonora and the king's ministers took over the government on behalf of Gustav Adolf's underage daughter Christina of Sweden on her father's death. He left one other known child, his illegitimate son Gustav, Count of Vasaborg.

The Painting

The Funeral of Gustavus II Adolphus by Mohr is a classic Wimor set consisting of 43 single or group figures of magnificent detail. They are so well engraved that one has to consider if these small jewels would be better unpainted.
They required only some minutes each for clean up and priming to get them ready for painting. Which was a good think for me because I couldn’t wait to start painting them. Each figure received 2 coats of thinned white humbrol paint and set aside for a couple of days to dry totally.
What is important when you painting a set of figures that will be grouped together is first to keep the light source direction constant. I chose a rather common approach of upper left illumination, which it was rather difficult as I found out later because all the figures are presented by their right side and faces are faced to the left. That means that most of the faces are in shadow. What I did for this situation was simply to produce a bit darker mixtures in all flesh tones and create some deep shadows where appropriate, while keeping highlights on the softer side... I tried to highlight upper left sides of all figure a bit more than the lower left sides. Maybe if I should have thought better I would choose an upper right approach for convenience since painting 43 figures isn’t something easy by itself.
Next important thing you have to consider is that since there are many figures with various hues and tones, it would be better if you paint them in small groups of neighboring figures. That simply means that for each 3-4 figures that are close with each other, tones must be kept in harmony so a better aesthetic result will be produced when they are finished and displayed. Hues that “suit” each other such as yellow and brown, or red and green were used for this purpose with shadows mainly produced by their complementary colors respectively.
Another small trick which I strongly advise when doing such a big set is to keep color mixes simple. Every piece of flesh, every cloth they wear, every item they carry, is painted by an individual mix. No two reds are identical, not two blacks are of the same mixture or not two whites are of the same color temperature. Instead, I started from scratch for every color I used for all figures. While you vary your colors, keep the color mixes simple. I personally never use a color that is produced from more than 3 or 4 different hues maximum. If you keep adding colors, end result will be either a mud pool or the actual color will have lost its chroma or temperature somewhere in the process.
I chose to display them in a left to right facing direction with Adolph’s funeral cart and its horses as a central piece and all other figures surround it symmetrically as I though it would produce a nice aesthetic result when they will be finished. I will use black velvet background and after putting each figure on it, measuring distances between lines, rows and individual figures, I will give the whole canvas with figures to a specialist for making the frame. I will chose a simple frame so as not to out power the subject since it is most complex by itself. Name tag will also come from a specialist engraving shop.

Conclusion

Mohr’s set of “The Funeral of Gustavus II Adolphus” is one of the best set of figures I have ever came upon. Attention to detail is stunning even for the tiniest parts. Although is not an easy task to paint all these figures, surely the end result, when they are finished eventually, is most satisfying. I would recommend this set to any collector of flats, especially of this period, but not for beginner painters. Not only the great number of figures, but the small details that most of them have, make it a rather challenging task. Slow and careful painting, good references and lots and lots of time spent and coffee drunk is all that is needed.

The Figures

Above from left to right:

1. Swedish Cavalier.

2. Swedish Aristocrat.

3. Weissenfels Burguomiester.

Above from left to right:

1. King's Life Guard Rgt, Timbalier.

2. Cuirassier Officer.

3. King's Life Guard Rgt, Timbalier.

Above from left to right:

1. Groom.

2. Kettledrummer.

3. Officer, Blu Rgt.

Above from left to right:

1. Duke Bernhard of Sachsen (Second-in-comannd).

2. Germa Life Rgt Usslar, Arquebusier.

Above from left to right:

1. Swedish cavalryman, Arquebusier.

2. Arquebusier Officer.

Above from left to right:

1. Swedish Infranty, Qrquebusier.

2. Swedish Official.

3. Major General Dodo von Innhausen (Third-in-command).



Above from left to right:

1. Swedish Officer.

2. King's Life Guard Rgt, Timbalier.

3. Swedish Officer.



Above:

1. Streiff, the King's horse.

Above:

1 & 2. Horses of the King's cart carrying casket.

Above:

1. The King's casket draped with Swedish flag, escorted by Swedish officers.