Napoleonic Marshalls - The return

[marcellin de marbot]

Hi to all
Here a new group of Marshalls. These are great personalities, some of the best commanders of Napoleon. Besides to have the title of Marshall, they were also the Commanders in chief of the main Corps of the Guard. Owing to this rank, they had the duty of escorting Napoleon, with a turn of a month each, walking at his side on foot, or riding at the side of the Imperial coach. May be a nice idea for a vignette...They had also to make the petitions of the Guard Officers demanding to the Emperor.

Louis Nicolas Davout, Duke of Auerstaedt, Prince of Eckmuhl, probably the best strategist of Napoleon. As commander of the Guard Grenadier, he wears a rich version of the uniform of his men, with square lapels and gold embroideries and laces. On the breast, the medal of the "Legion d'Honneur" and the "Corona di ferro" (Iron crown) the equivalent Honour italian medal, so named from the old crown of the Emperor Charles the Great. Orange outlined green ribbon, gold and blue enamel eagle.This medal was given to the distinguished commanders of the Italian campaigns.

Nicolas Jean de dieu Soult, Duke of Dalmatia, brilliant strategist too, but a good robber, in Spain he plundered big treasures to the Spanish nobles and to the Church. Commander of the Foot Chasseurs de la Garde. Same uniform of his men, but more rich obviously. Pointed Lapels instead of squared. Legion d'Honneur medal (red ribbon), Plaque of the Great Aigle of the Legion d'Honneur, and lower the cross of St.Hubert of Bavaria. The embroideries on the breeches are a personal choice of fantasy of the Marshall, out of rules

Jean Baptiste Bessières, Duke of Istria, he wears the green "surtout", as commander of the legendary Chasseurs de la Garde à cheval. Honest,faithful and corageous, one of the preferred By Napoleon. One of the few Marshalls to die in battle (as Lannes and Poniatowski) Five gold chevrons on the breeches to represent the rank of Colonel of Chasseurs.

The last, Adolphe Edouard Casimir Joseph Mortier, Duke of Treviso. Dressed as Colonel Commander of the Artillery and Marines of the Guard, charge received on 1805. Eight gold chevrons on the breeches and the sleeves!Survived to the Russian campaign and to the fall of Napoleon and the Empire, he remained close to the new Monarchy. Killed on 1835 owing to an attempt make by the Corsican man Giuseppe Fieschi, who had built a strange war machine firing 25 rockets and killing 18 peoples. But he King and his family remained alive...

Any comment or question is welcome. I always hope these drawings can be a suggestion to sculpt and paint a nice figure.
Best regards to all
Marcello

 

[Kisifer]

Superb work once again Marcello. Thanks a lot once again for your great efforts.

Xenofon

 

[Guy]

I echo Xenofon's posting. Many thanks Marcello for posting this valuable information.

 

[John Bowery]

Marcello,
I echo the above. Thank you greatly
Cheers
John

 

[vergilius]

great work
now start on the generals !

 

[MazingerZ]

Una pregunta; Dices que Soult lleva solapas puntiagudas en vez de cuadradas como Davout........en tus dibujos que son las solapas??? no consigo distinguirlas.

Gracias
Josema

 

[marcellin de marbot]

Hola Josema,
Los solapas van a terminar bajo de la faja oro de Mariscal, y estan tapados tambien por el cordon rojo de la Legion de Honor, aunque el lado derecho de Davout se ve un poco. Yo commente de la diferencia entre Davout y Soult para subrayar la diversidad de los dos Cuerpos. Normalmente los productores de figurinas hacen siempre los Grenaderos y cuasi nunca los Cazadores, que tienen una uniforme parecida, ma diferente (color charreteras, bocamangas, gorro sin chapa, cartuchera y...solapas. Podria ser una conversion bastante facil a realizar...con un poco de pasta y de paciencia.
Hasta luego
Marcello

 

[Blind Pew]

Marcello - thanks again. You're a super star.

 

[marcellin de marbot]

Thanks to all,
These drawings are only the result of my passion, nothing special. Anyway I hope can be useful to give some ideas for figures. Together with the 26 portraits, I drawn for the Italian magazine "Soldatini" also many details of the Marshalls, such as all the coats of arms (except Brune abd Jourdan, who did not have never arms and titles from Napoleon), medals, swords, sashes, so if anyone wants realize some figures of a Marshall, I can give more information.
All the best
Marcello

 

[billyturnip]

Great work Marcello. My family and I will be taking our holidays near Paris this year. I will be going to Les Invalides again. Last time the Napoleonic and Great War exibitions were closed for renovations.
Maybe my visit along with your illustrations will inspire me to strip some of my old Naploeonic figures and try and make a better job of them.

Roger

 

[Dan Morton]

Marcello - How did I miss these beauties before?!!>? Excellent illustrations! Not my historical period of interest, but I can appreciate talent! I've tried for years to do that kind of thing, but I'm hopeless with pen and ink and watercolors. My younger son, Kyle, is the illustrator and artist of the family and I admit I'm a little prejudiced, but I think he's darn good!

Very well done!

All the best,
Dan

 

[marcellin de marbot]

Thank you Dan,
Have you seen also the first set of drawings?
If you wish, send me for PM some drawings of your son, I'll be glad to see them. And please push him, don't leave down his talent...For all my life I worked in the Italian telephonic Company without develope my istinct in artistic job, because my parents said, when I was young, that this could not give bread and meat to eat.
Cheers
Marcello