120mm Cossack 1814

[Peter Day]

This is a 120mm Russian Cossack, c.1814, sculpted by Mike Good for S K Miniatures. More or less as it came except for the sword, which I changed for a more classic Cossack version, the one supplied being of pitted white metal.

 

[Steve Ski]

That is some brilliant color tones, Peter, wow! They really pop quite beautifully. I love his happy smirk too, btw.

 

[Peter Day]

Many thanks Steve

 

[MoboSchreuder]

Wow, wonderful work

Mobo

 

[Ferris]

Excellent Peter. Mike Good sculpts are great to paint and you did a great job on this one.

Adrian

 

[misfit151]

Fabulous job Peter and lovely colours..... Mike

 

[Peter Day]

Mobo - Many thanks as always.

Adrian - Glad you approve. This was indeed so nice to paint that I've ordered another Mike Good figure from S K.

Mike - Thanks. Still not a patch on your colouring.

 

[Cannonball]

Great finish Peter. Agree with Ski, the colours look really rich.

Neal

 

[Warren SMITH]

Very nice work...

 

[Peter Day]

Many thanks Neal and Warren.

 

[svt]

View attachment 443643View attachment 443644View attachment 443645View attachment 443646

This is a 120mm Russian Cossack, c.1814, sculpted by Mike Good for S K Miniatures. More or less as it came except for the sword, which I changed for a more classic Cossack version, the one supplied being of pitted white metal.

Very beautiful painting of the figurine, but historically wrong.

This is a figurine of a line Cossack of the Don Cossack Host, but he could not have a red summer jacket. Only the Cossacks of the Life Guards of the Cossack Regiment had red jackets, but in order for this figurine to become a Guards Cossack, you will need a lot of alterations, because the costume of the guards cossacks was very different from the line cossacks troops in many details.

Therefore, the jacket here must be blue, the same color as the trousers.
I don't know what kind of saber this figure originally had, but what you did is not right. You tried to give the Cossack a shashka, but the shashka in the Russian army appeared much later (in the 30s of the 19th century), and you hung the shashka like a saber, and you mistakenly deployed its hilt like a shashka's hilt. Irregular Cossacks of that period wore sabers of the 1809 model, they could also have sabers of 1797, and even earlier ones, but not shashka.

 

[Nap]

Hi Peter

Nice painting on this fellow , like Ski I like the smirk he has , always thought this would make a good bust as well

Thanks for sharing

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Peter Day]

Serge - Thanks for the info. I must admit that I found it hard to find uniform details for this one and in the end went with the scheme suggested by a finished example S K Miniatures posted somewhere. I also used this illustration of a Russian in Paris as reference:



Labelled as a Cossack, but perhaps a Lancer.

I'm going to leave him as he is, with all the faults, and let artistic licence take up the slack . I'm not a great uniform aficianado and can easily live with the mistakes. A blue jacket would have been easier but I like the contrast the red provides.

Nap -Glad you like him. Is it me or has he a touch of Terry Thomas?

 

[svt]

Serge - Thanks for the info. I must admit that I found it hard to find uniform details for this one and in the end went with the scheme suggested by a finished example S K Miniatures posted somewhere. I also used this illustration of a Russian in Paris as reference:

View attachment 443679

Labelled as a Cossack, but perhaps a Lancer.

Yes, this lithograph by Georg Emanuel Opiz depicts Russian Cossacks in Paris. Unfortunately, as a uniformological source, they are not suitable, but they are quite remarkable as genre scenes. In any case, I understand your opinion on this, and I agree that you can always leave it as it is, referring to the fact that the Cossack was recreated within the framework of the image created by Opitz.

 

[Peter Day]

Cheers Serge.

 

[Steve Brodie]

Super Duper work

 

[bonehead]

Okay, I think I should put in my two cents here. First, it is really great to finally see this figure painted - and to such a high standard! Great job Peter!

Second, this figure was indeed based on the series of illustrations of "Cossacks in Paris" by Opitz. It was the stories about the antics of the Cossacks (large, half-wild, unkempt men that were a source of great fascination and puzzlement for the French) that inspired me to sculpt the figure. For example, the word "Bistro" (in French, meaning a small cafe or restaurant) actually originated from the rude cries the cossacks yelling "Bistro!" (meaning hurry up!) at the French waiters that did not move swiftly enough for them. Who knew?

I had very limited reference materials on Russians of the period. The Opitz illustrations were my primary reference source. A set of "Russian Army 1812 Card Sets" (especially sets 3 and 4) supplied many of the finer details for the figure. Any historical mistakes are due to my ignorance of the subject, my limited references and an inability to read Russian, and are thus my fault.

As for the face, he is most definitely NOT Terry Thomas (that was another figure). I needed a sly mischievous grin and I could think of nobody better than my boyhood hero, Ed "big Daddy" Roth. Ed was always quick to mug for the camera and his humorous expressions were exactly what I was looking for: https://ar.pinterest.com/pin/548242954623337596/

So, the figure is a portrait of Ed, sans beard and with a cossack haircut!

I bow to svt's superior knowledge of Russian uniforms. Sorry for steering you wrong Peter. However, if I am not mistaken, it seems that changing the color of the tunic to blue while keeping the red facings on the collar and cuffs would set things right?

Anyway, thanks for turning this old sculpt into a lovely creation! It is nice to see.

Mike

 

[svt]

I had very limited reference materials on Russians of the period. The Opitz illustrations were my primary reference source. A set of "Russian Army 1812 Card Sets" (especially sets 3 and 4) supplied many of the finer details for the figure. Any historical mistakes are due to my ignorance of the subject, my limited references and an inability to read Russian, and are thus my fault.

The sculpture of this Cossack is perfect for painting in the line Cossack of the Don or Ural Hosts of that period.

Not touching on the coloring of the Cossack by Peter, but for future colored figurines. To become a Guards Cossack, this figure will need to remove the belt for pistols, also remove the thin strap thrown over the right shoulder that supports this belt, move the cartridge bag to the other shoulder, and the leather belt and cartridge bag itself will be made of red leather and without overhead monograms and coats of arms. Instead of shoulder straps, he should have yellow epaulettes of the Lancer type. Instead of a line cossack's forage cap, he should have either a fur hat with yellow laces and tassels and with white plume, or a typical soldier's peaked cap of the 1811 model. Guards collar patches should be present on the collar and cuffs. There should be a wide white leather strip across the left shoulder for hanging on a pistol hook. Pants should not have trouser stripes. Instead of a black leather belt, there should be a wide white canvas belt. Model 1809 light cavalry saber.

 

[Nap]

Great responses from members , especially Mike and svt

Nice to see the painted figure

Nap

 

[Peter Day]

Mr B - Many thanks.

Mike - Great to hear from you. It ‘s a lovely figure and using the Paris prints as reference was great idea. Glad to hear that the mistakes weren’t all my fault though! He’s safe as he is - the idea of a rowdy Cossack misbehaving in the French capital. I enjoyed painting this one so much that I’ve ordered your Confederate cavalry officer - plenty of reference for that one.

Serge - Wow! Thanks so much for the great reference material. I know who to turn to for my next Cossack. Many thanks for taking the time.

Nap - Completely agree. Part of what makes this such great forum.