French carabiniers - 1810 on

[Dani A.]

Hello,

I was considering the acquisition of Metal Modéles new release, a French Carabinier in cuirass and helmet, as per 1810 regulations. I counted on painting the tunic in the usual white... but a friend of mine mentioned he had read in a French magazine something about new research, stating that in fact, light blue tunics were used? He could not precisely locate the article, so now I'm in quandary.

Could anyone throw some light on this matter?

Thanks,

Dani

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Hi Dani - nice to speak with you again.

I find the light blue hard to belive in light of surviving relics, period illustrations and in-depth study by a legion of post-war experts like Rousselot and Rigo. I read somewhere that the 'new' white uniform was due to an error and that the original intent was for a continuation of Indigo. I would feel very confident in going with an off-white uniform to simulate wool.

Regards

Colin

 

[Luis R.]

Dani,
your friend is right. Belgian artist and military historian Patrice Courcelle published an article on French Tradition in which he said Carabiniers used light blue uniforms. He based this info in some period paintings and, especially, on a letter of a caribinier to his family in which the guy describes his uniform. He said they were issued two uniforms, one white, the other one light blue, the white one being used for parade only. Unfortunately, Metal Modeles figure depicts an officer, and doesn’t seem officers wore blue uniforms as their men did. Anyway, Mr. Courcelle will be publishing an Osprey Men-at-Arms book on the Carabiniers later this year. It might include confirmation of officers in blue (or not).



Carabiniers changed uniforms in 1810. Before that year, they had worn blue habit with red facings and bearskin headwear. It seems that after a charge, one of the carabinier regiments paraded in front of Napoleon and he was much impressed by the sight of a carabinier officer with his face-skin hanging on his chest because of a horrible sabre wound (that would made a nice figure ). The emperor then realized the carabinier uniform didn’t give much protection and ordered them to be helmeted and cuirassed. Black, red and light blue were considered for their new uniforms, but due to cloth shortages, white was chosen (it is said that empress Maria Louise took the decision, the white uniform with light blue facings having a distinctive Austrian flair). It’s a pity, as black or red, combined with golden cuirass and helmet, would have made beautiful models.

 

[VernM]

Courcelle based his drawings on an article by Rousselot in "La Sabratach". They were based on the letters of a German officer watching the regiments passing through Strasburg. Also, the Museum Empri issued a folio of plates on the carabiniers with a watercoler by Benigini based on Adam showing a trooper with a blue coat in Russia. Rousselot believed the blue coat was their stable jacket. There is no record of them being issued anyother blue coat. I hope this helps.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Is it possible that the blue dye in the facings ran onto the white of the uniform during cleaning, thus producing a light blue stain on the white uniform worn in the field? It seems improbable to me that they would have a different colour uniform for parades (few Fr. Nap. units did - the Polish lancers being the only one that springs immediately to mind). Use of a clean, undyed uniform during prades seems more probable to me.


Colin

 

[Dani A.]

Luis,

That is very interesting. I look forward to that Osprey book. BTW, I have the Rousselot plate, and indeed he talks of a blue stable jacket - but I have a strong confidence in Coucelle's research, too.

Meanwhile, I think that painting a Carabinier in a blue tunic would draw very skeptic glances in any model show... maybe it would be a case of presenting it together with some source information...

Thanks,

Dani

 

[Luis R.]

Courcelle mentions contemporary illustrations by Albrecht, Adam and Faber du Four where blue uniforms are depicted. In the first issue of the new Spanish Magazine "Ristre Napoleónico", there's a print by Faber du Four that clarly shows a Carabinier in blue during the Russian retreat.

 

[Luis R.]

You can see in this plate by Faber de Four a carabinier wearing a blue uniform. Sorry for the poor image

 

[Colin_Fraser]

That looks like Indigo, not light blue. Perhaps a left over 1809 coatee?

Colin

 

[Dani A.]

Mmmmmmh... the entire plate is very dark, so probably the actual blue is several shades lighter.
BTW, what is the actual denomination of the colour Courcelle assigns to the carabiniers? I used "light blue" as a general denomination; is it bleu de ciel, or bleu céleste - that is, sky blue? If so, this would not be a very light colour, Guard cavalry units used it, and it is more of a medium shade. IF this is the colour, I would believe Faber du Four tried to depict such a blue.

 

[Luis R.]

Courcelle says the color is "bleu céleste foncé" which can translate as dark sky blue. His illustration shows a mid blue:

 

[Luis R.]

The german company Compagnie d'Elite produce a uniform plate of carabiniers in sky blue uniform:

 

[Lou Masses]

Luis,

Thanks for your explanation. I am going through the same color issue with my 5th Hussar in terms the the "sky blue". This helps.

Incidentally that last image you posted, really shows a great example of how to paint silver lace using white and grey. Look at the saddle edging. I will print this and keep it as a reference.

Lou

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Lou - you can use it for a silver reference but as he's an enlisted man (see bayonet) the artist should not have been depicting silver - just a shaded white.

The latest Editions Quatuor book (Encylopedia of Napoleonic Uniforms) has a colour plate of Lucien Rousselot's own colour mixes for the various standard uniform colours. While this is not a primary reference, it should have some credibility. I'll try to rememebr to check the bleu celeste colour chip tonight.

Cheers

Colin

 

[Lou Masses]

My bad.

But it would also work for silver. It looked silver to me!

 

[Colin_Fraser]

I agree with you and if it inspires silver as good as your non-metallic gold I'm a fan!

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Check this out if you like carabiniers (heads up courtesy of TnT):

http://www.metal-modeles.com/presentation_us.php

Colin

 

[Lou Masses]

I'm already budgeting the $75-$85 out of next month's expenses. And drolling as well.....

 

[pkess]

There was a Special Issue of the French Tradition magazine on the Carabiniers. I will have to look up the exact issue. However, it had several photographs of existing Carabinier Tunics, they were all white. Most of the photographs were of Officer's tuics. The collars and cuffs were a very dark blue, nothing like any of the illustrations that I have seen.