Retreat from Russia
Dated: March 19, 2003.
A contribution from David Ducouret of France:
"This is an episode that occured during the retreat from Russia when the French army burnt everything they had (from their flags and eagles to the spoon with Napoleon's "N") so that they would leave no trophy to the enemy.
This is my first diorama (please, do not be too severe), and I used figures from different sets.
1° The Cuirassier sitting on the dead horse is taken from the Napoleonic war accessories (Italeri), who initially was from a line infantry regiment wearing a shako, but I changed his head for a dragoons helmet, changed the right leg for one with a boot, sculpted his cuirasse, scarf and a part of his coat in milliput, and painted man and horse with Humbrol and oil paint as usual.
2° the Foot grenadier, maybe artillery or line grenadier and carabinier are from Revell's set Line grenadiers. I changed the heads of the two standard bearers for a shako and a carabinier's helmet, removed the arms and took others from another figure or sculpted them (for the carabinier, who hides his face in his left hand).
3° Napoleon (that's him, trust me) was taken from Hat's Austrian artillery (the figure that has a cannon ball in its hands). I had to cut the arms and sculpt one in the back and one inside the coat, changed the head for another one, shorten the legs (Napoleon was smaller than an Austrian artillery man, 1m70) and here is the Ogre (or Usurpator?), Emperor Napoleon as we are accustomed to see him.
The ground was made of milliput, with a faw little stones, a cannon wheel (the other part of the wheel I used for my Officier de Chasseurs à cheval), salt for the snow (actually I am not satisfied with my snow, the flakes are too big, I will have to use something else, maybe talc), and brown oil paint for the mud.
As I told, this one was my first diorama, some people make much bigger dioramas, but I like it, and I will probably try to make another one before long. I hope you like it as I do.
Figurinistiquement, (that does not mean anything in French either, something like figuristically). "
David Ducouret.
Many thanks to Mr. David Ducouret for sharing his diorama with us.