discussion Boney! Mitches 1/9th Napoleon Bust

[Guest]

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To accompany my Blucher bust I also got hold of the other two in the series, Napoleon and Wellington. These were sculpted by Pavol Ovecka for Mitches Military Models.

Just two parts and virtually no clean-up:

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I'm going to base the colouring on David's beautiful portrait (interesting character David - managed to survive both the revolution and Napoleon by the skin of his teeth):

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I'm not sure, but the tunic seems to be a very dark blue, though a green is also sometimes depicted. I'm tempted by the green.

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[Steve Jones]

Apologies for the glass reflection but this gives you an idea of the green shade of tunic you are after



It certainly would be different from the norm which is always a good thing

Really looking forward to seeing this bust come together. Cant wait to see all three together over the coming weeks. Good luck Sir.

 

[Guest]

Morning Peter.
He's a smart looking guy, I shall get my seat at the front before rest of the rabble arrive :smiling: See Steve's beaten me to it, what did he mean by coming weeks, weeks, indeed more like by the end of the week !
John

 

[Jim R]

Hi Peter
Green or blue I'm sure you will do a fine job on him
Jim

 

[Tim Marlow]

The green and blue are markedly different uniforms though, not just a cloth colour change. The blue is colonel of the Grenadiers a pied, and the green is colonel of the Chasseurs a cheval.....which I think he wore on Elba? I would do a bit of research before flinging paint at him :tongue-out3:
Looks a cracking bust though....

 

[Tim Marlow]

Just had a quick look, and I think the David portrait is accurate to your bust, Grenadier a pied....in indigo blue....

 

[Guest]

Steve - Many thanks for the photo.

John - It will be fairly quick. That's the problem with busts and why I'm starting to get into armour again.

Jim - Fingers crossed.

Tim - Very many thanks, that's cleared that one up. I suppose he could be painted in either version, but I think you're right - it's meant to be the blue with white front. That would probably be the most dramatic option.

The head:

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As usual, I had a tough time with the eyes. Pavol Ovecka can leave things very slightly bumpy, but it seems to pay to slog away with the brush. I like the fact that he's been given a bald spot.

 

[rtfoe]

Peter, Ah!...the short one is being painted...Bona Petit...:smiling2: He'll look good in either colour but the blue follows the pose that's seen in the portrait. I only managed to see his bald patch to comment that its well visible. The other images can't load up.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Guest]

Hi Richard. I've just stopped groaning!

Apparently he was 5' 7'', so not particularly short for the time (Wellington was only three inches taller). There were of course lots of slanders aimed at him by the English, another being that he was suffering from piles at Waterloo, when he in fact already had the stomach cancer that eventually killed him.

Anyway, sing along now: ''Boney beat the Rooshians, aye, aye, aye. Boney beat the Prooshians, John Franskei.''

 

[Jon Heptonstall]

Hi Peter.
The epaulettes will tell you whether this is his grenadier à pied or chasseur à cheval uniform.David painted him in his National Guard uniform too with red collar and facings.
Jon.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Boney is looking good....and looks nothing like Rod Steiger .....

Another verse.....
Boney went to Mossy Cow...aye aye aye....
Boney he came home again...Jean Francois....

I had to learn that song in music lessons at the age of about eight.....didn’t have a clue what it was about....

 

[Guest]

Cheers Jon - I'll look into it.

Jim - Our music teacher also had us singing that song, though we were fifteen year-olds. He never really taught us much music, preferring instead to read to us from his favourite book, ''Sex in History''.He was a senior chorister in Canterbury Cathedral choir and as camp as Christmas. Happy days!

 

[Guest]

Superb. Peter.
John.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Mum....mum....he’s calling me Jim again.....

 

[Guest]

Sorry TIM !!!!!!!!!

I keep doing it don't I? Senior moments. Apologies.

 

[Tim Marlow]

No worries mate, it really doesn’t worry me.....but if you put an E in the end of my surname....that way lies trouble....

 

[Guest]

Tim. I forget what my own name is sometimes - I'm usually addressed as 'Oi, You!' around here.

 

[SteveH]

Morning Peter

Another superbly painted head.

The sculpt is less "baby faced" that the portraits and probably more reflective of later life?

Excellent painting either way.

Have a good day with the paints today

I'm off for physio then some work on the Toon GB

Regards

Steve H

 

[Guest]

Hi Steve

Yes a 'Waterloo' portrait I think.

Hope the knee's coming along.

Peter.

 

[Jim R]

Oi you!
That head is up there with your best. Really like him.
Jim