20. Day, July 13, 2017
Today, I start with the painting of orders and medals that our hero carries around with him.
But before the painting, the gods had set up the research - which was quite difficult: there was an incredible amount of awards in Tsarist Russia since Tsar Peter I!
There is not a single specialist book, which lists them all in full. And I really know a lot of books on this subject.
That means:
Each individual distinction had to be examined for temporal and historical plausibility and then compared with the template painting before it could be painted.
Let's begin with the white cross, which Admiral Alekseev carries around his neck: it is the Order of Saint George 3rd class...:
This rather high order could be conferred only in war, and with it were honored special military merits, special bravery, and outstanding heroic deeds.
The Order of Saint George 3rd class can be compared with the German "knight cross with oak leaves".
With one important difference: this order was only accessible to officers in Tsarist Russia! There were simpler versions for simple soldiers and sub-officers.
The order of my admiral now looks painted - although I can only imply the "St. Georg" in the center.
However, I have managed to paint even the thin golden border of the cross.
Finally, I have overpainted all Emaill parts still with "Gloss Varnish"...:
And now we come to the Medals, which are to be seen on the left side of Alekssev's chest. The three medals (of which there were really countless and very many similar ones!) Took the most time in the research until I could assign them all correctly ...:
Especially since in two cases not even awards, but remembrance or commemorative medallions!
On the far left you can see this medal ...:
It is called with full name: "April 4, 1866 - Aleksandr II."
The medal reminds of the gun assassination of the anarchist Dimitrij Karakasov ...
... Tsar Aleksandr II. (the natural father of our admiral!) was able to escape (the natural father of our admiral!) on 4. April 1866 with great luck and the help of a peasant who overwhelmed the assassin. Karakasov ended on the gallows!
The medal now at the bust ...:
All medals are modeled as smooth discs - to indicate a refief, I proceed like this: With undefined bronze color I put several thick points on top of each other. The points then dry up plastically, and I get so the hint of a head ...
Another medal is the second from the left with the red order ribbon ...:
It recalls the coronation of Tsar Aleksandr III. And his wife Maria Fyodorovna to Czar and Czarina on May 27, 1883 (all dates according to Russian time) ...:
Here it is now - at the red ribbon one can see light and shadow well, which is painted on all the ribbons, but somehow in the photos are not to be seen correctly ...:
The third medal is this one ...:
Alekseev received it for his participation in the "Chinese War" in 1900, better known as "Boxer Rebellion"!
Together with other western countries and Japan, Russia also sent a strong intervention group ...:
Alekseyev, who was still Rear Admiral and not yet a general adjutant, was the deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian troops. Here he sits at the center of the photograph in the middle of his staff...:
All the participants of the campaign, from the last muzhik to the highest commander, got a medal like this!
Such summaries were held not only in the Tsar empire but also in the Soviet Union as well as in today's Russia.
The black and red stripes of this order were a bit tricky to paint - but there is no more to report ...:
Here the whole again as extreme cut-out-enlargement (aarrgghhh - macro is so cruel!) ...
... and the original bust in the size comparison ...:
I workrd with These Color - but if I had to list all the mixtures here now, I would write a book.
So - for today is the end of the painting - I notice how the fingers get restless ...
Tomorrow it will go on!