Liliane and Fred Funcken Illustration

[Dan Morton]

This is an illustration probably by Liliane and Fred Funcken. If you aren't familiar with them, they authored and illustrated several books of arms and uniforms published in the late 60s and early 70s. Some of their books were published in French, some in English. The quality of this particular image with French text is poor, as you can tell, and I'd like to get a clearer and larger version. The page shows French Navy uniforms. Anybody have any idea in what book this illustration appears? Can anyone send me a clearer image?

Many thanks!

All the best,
Dan

 

[Dan Morton]

On the Great War forum, one of the members posted that he didn't think the illustration was by the Funckens. Since I can't read much of the text and can't see much of the illustrations, I was just guessing.

All the best,
Dan

 

[Wlas]

I feel the same way about the work. Doesn't have the 'feel'. I sent you a couple pages of French Navy WW II from Funkens Casterman series for comparison.

 

[garyjd]

Dan, I agree that the plate was probably NOT painted by the Funkens. The red flag for me was the decorative border. it's probably a much earler book or set of plates on the French Navy.~Gary

 

[Dan Morton]

Hmmm. Bit of a mystery this...as my British friends used to say.

OK - it may be older than the 60s and looks doubtful if it was done by the Funckens. That 'style' of illustration with colored ink wash (I think that's what it is...) was prevalent in the 50s and 60s, to the best of my feeble recollections. The sailors uniforms and equipment, however, look WWI or pre-WW2. I believe the French Navy changed fatigue or field uniforms to olive drab (or whatever the French called it) in the mid-30s.

Anyways...can anybody ID the illustration?

All the best,
Dan

 

[Guayo]

Hi Dan,

I'm not a expert but I do have four books of the Funckens series, so this doesn't look like their work.

Check this photo, you can see that they do not use any more the blue uniform

Tenue de gala (1935) et uniforme (1939) you can see on this link LE MUSÉE DES TROUPES DE MARINE DE FRÉJUS

you are right it could be pre-WWII

Saludos

Eduardo

 

[Dan Morton]

Many thanks Eduardo - I suspect the illustration is just going to remain a mystery, darn it.

All the best,
Dan