Tonton
A Fixture
This is my take on the Pegaso 54mm AJ Flahaut. outfitted as Aide-de-Camp to Berthier.
Believed to have been fathered by Talleyrand he was a colourful character. He seems to have screwed his way across Europe. Amongst his lovers were Joachim Murat’s wife, Caroline, (Napoleon’s sister), Polish Countess Potocka and Queen Hortense of Holland, who was Napoleon’s daughter-in-law. Eventually, he was married in 1817 in Edinburgh to the Hon. Margaret Elphinstone who was to become Baroness Keith and Naime. Known for his courage in battle; he fought in Russia in 1812 and was at the battles of Marengo, Friedland, Leipzig and Waterloo and others besides. In later life he became French Ambassador to Vienna and then French Ambassador to the Court of St. James.
The only pic. I could find of a young M. Flahaut is mono and shows him with a wispy moustache which suggested that Pegaso’s rather full one needed to be cut back and this is what I’ve done and painted it accordingly. Sacrilege, but there it is. Because I think there would have been subtle but noticeable differences in hue between, say, braid and gilded metal on buttons, for example, I’ve used several different types of “gold” – in particular, the Sylmasta range, comprising European Gold, Antique Gold, English Fine Gold and Pale Gold. There’s also a nice Silver. (If you fancy trying them make sure you also get some of their “Ultimate Thinners”, as the paints can be very thick and they aren’t acrylic.) The finish to the top of the hat may look blobby and ham-fisted but it’s my attempt to suggest the bullion that would have decorated it. Everything except the “golds” are done in acrylic. The base (of poppy seeds) might look sparse to some. It’s not laziness but I didn’t want groundwork to detract from the splendid uniform.
Hope you like it and comments are welcome. I wish the photos were better but mine are never very successful.
Jeff
Believed to have been fathered by Talleyrand he was a colourful character. He seems to have screwed his way across Europe. Amongst his lovers were Joachim Murat’s wife, Caroline, (Napoleon’s sister), Polish Countess Potocka and Queen Hortense of Holland, who was Napoleon’s daughter-in-law. Eventually, he was married in 1817 in Edinburgh to the Hon. Margaret Elphinstone who was to become Baroness Keith and Naime. Known for his courage in battle; he fought in Russia in 1812 and was at the battles of Marengo, Friedland, Leipzig and Waterloo and others besides. In later life he became French Ambassador to Vienna and then French Ambassador to the Court of St. James.
The only pic. I could find of a young M. Flahaut is mono and shows him with a wispy moustache which suggested that Pegaso’s rather full one needed to be cut back and this is what I’ve done and painted it accordingly. Sacrilege, but there it is. Because I think there would have been subtle but noticeable differences in hue between, say, braid and gilded metal on buttons, for example, I’ve used several different types of “gold” – in particular, the Sylmasta range, comprising European Gold, Antique Gold, English Fine Gold and Pale Gold. There’s also a nice Silver. (If you fancy trying them make sure you also get some of their “Ultimate Thinners”, as the paints can be very thick and they aren’t acrylic.) The finish to the top of the hat may look blobby and ham-fisted but it’s my attempt to suggest the bullion that would have decorated it. Everything except the “golds” are done in acrylic. The base (of poppy seeds) might look sparse to some. It’s not laziness but I didn’t want groundwork to detract from the splendid uniform.
Hope you like it and comments are welcome. I wish the photos were better but mine are never very successful.
Jeff
