French cuirassier
Dated: February 3, 2003.
A contribution from David Ducouret of France:
"Here is one of my latest figures. Hat will surely think that a criminal of war sends in pictures because for this single figure I had to slaughter a French dragoon (for the head), a French carabinier (for the body), another dragoon (for the right arm), an Austrian curassier (for the left leg), and I fear another dragoon will never see his horse again...
People who know the French painter Gericault (Le radeau de la Méduse -the raft of the Meduse?) will (I hope so) have recognized one of his paintings, Cuirassier blessé quittant le feu ( ~ Wounded Cuirassier getting away from the battlefield ).
Apart from the fact that I had to cut and glue a lot this figure was not so difficult to paint and is the first one I've put somewhere else that in the dust of one of my shelves... I used Humbrol and some oil paint (for the horse, the trousers and the ground).
Making figures based on famous paintings is not so difficult (not if we do not get a too close look at the figure...) and really is a pleasure to do. Moreover someone said that if you do not know what you can do for one figure and if you want to copy someone copy the best (approximately, that was in French and my simultaneous translation is not so good I fear), then instead of trying to create my own battles or scenes I love to use paintings (and I am really happy when someone says "Oh I know this one, this is..."). Long text, small figures, Frenchmen still talk too much. I hope you will enjoy this figure."
David Ducouret.
"Here is the painting I have used for my figure. I prefer this one, but Gericault was paid to paint it, not me."
Many thanks to Mr. David Ducouret for sharing his figures with us.