Gros Napoleon at Jaffa (1 Viewer)

[blaster]

I tried to do a diorama based on Antointe Jean L Gros' painting many years ago. I found all the figures and am attempting another go at it.

 

[Ivanhoe]

I tried to do a diorama based on Antointe Jean L Gros' painting many years ago. I found all the figures and am attempting another go at it.

Ambitious project !

Look forward to seeing.

Thank you.

 

[blaster]

Hi Matt,

Well, you know me. Always attempting to bite off more than I can chew, similar to a python... Hope I don't dislocate any joints here ...

I'll probably start off with improving Nap himself. If the key figure works, then the rest should fall in place. At the moment, my figure is a little bit too realistic. I've got to strive for the more heroic and romantic look here. I'll probably redo some of the other forefront figures in a larger scale as well, play around with perspectives and so on.

Rgds Victor

 

[blaster]

I have already started on Nap. Altered the legs, head left arm but will show you pics much later.

Rgds Victor

 

[blaster]

After a short driving holiday where I also managed to scratch my car (Grrr), I got back into top gear on the modeling.

I extended the legs with wire inserts and made minor changes to the face and hat. Also I repositioned the hat.

 

[blaster]

Worked more on Nap. I inserted a wire to link him to the officer behind for juxtapositioning. Still playing around with the fit.

 

[Ivanhoe]

Worked more on Nap. I inserted a wire to link him to the officer behind for juxtapositioning. Still playing around with the fit.

Excuse my ignorance...what is the figure behind him holding in his hand ?

Missed that before and in painting.

 

[Obee]

Excuse my ignorance...what is the figure behind him holding in his hand ?

Missed that before and in painting.

It looks like a handkerchief held to his nose to try and hold back the stench of the dead and dying soldiers in the 'hospital' where they were suffering from wounds from fighting and the plague.

John

 

[blaster]

Hi John and Matt,

It is a handkerchief. The painting was commissioned by Nap from the artist Gros to counter negative rumors that Nap had tried to poison the sick and wounded. Nap did visit the pesthouse and touched the pustules of one of these sick persons, mainly suffering from Bubonic plague, out of either ignorance or courage, but it was portrayed as the latter in this painting. The identity of the officer is not given, probably Murat (hairy sideburns and in early Chasseurs uniform)? The other person in the background putting out his hand to restrain Nap is mostly likely to be Desgenette, medical doctor.

http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/napoleon-bonaparte-visiting-plague-stricken-jaffa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonaparte_Visiting_the_Plague_Victims_of_Jaffa
http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/209536

Rgds Victor

 

[Ivanhoe]

Hi John and Matt,

It is a handkerchief. The painting was commissioned by Nap from the artist Gros to counter negative rumors that Nap had tried to poison the sick and wounded. Nap did visit the pesthouse and touched the pustules of one of these sick persons, mainly suffering from Bubonic plague, out of either ignorance or courage, but it was portrayed as the latter in this painting. The identity of the officer is not given, probably Murat (hairy sideburns and in early Chasseurs uniform)? The other person in the background putting out his hand to restrain Nap is mostly likely to be Desgenette, medical doctor.

http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/napoleon-bonaparte-visiting-plague-stricken-jaffa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonaparte_Visiting_the_Plague_Victims_of_Jaffa
http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/209536

Rgds Victor

Thank you very much for the links...did not know this story...or forgot due to olde age.

 

[blaster]

Hi Matt,

Liked your reference to olde age...

Here's Nap with the legs much improved, I think. Notice that I have to redo the boots as well. The left hand and hat plume was modified.

 

[blaster]

I worked more on the boots and calves and added the tunic to the right leg.

 

[blaster]

Worked on the left leg and detailed the boots. Then the sash drapery was resculpted.

 

[blaster]

I next worked on reshaping the Murat and Desgenette figure. Altering them in context with the revised Nap figure. For the Murat figure, the right leg was radically reshaped to conform to the painting. Desgenette's face was enlarged.

 

[blaster]

I juxtaposed the figures to test their fit, using wires to link the figures. The malleable wires allow me to play with their positions.

I next sculpted the kneeling figure clinging to Nap. A sword was added to Nap and the figure was attached with wire. When I was satisfied, more putty was added to strengthen the fit.

The other figures were also fitted to form the central grouping. I changed the poses of the figures accordingly.

 

[Ivanhoe]

I juxtaposed the figures to test their fit, using wires to link the figures. The malleable wires allow me to play with their positions.

I next sculpted the kneeling figure clinging to Nap. A sword was added to Nap and the figure was attached with wire. When I was satisfied, more putty was added to strengthen the fit.

The other figures were also fitted to form the central grouping. I changed the poses of the figures accordingly.

You have made some huge progress !

 

[blaster]

Hi Matt,

rather involved at the moment...

On the kneeling figure, the left hand is behind the sword. I sculpted some drapery for this hand. The anatomy is awkward for all the figures if I stick strictly to the painting which is my intention. Notice that all the figures have had their heights increased considerably to match Nap.

Rgds Victor

 

[blaster]

I developed the drapery on the kneeling figure a little more. Then I started on the two standing naked figures, adding some height and details. The next two figures I worked on were the Moor assisting the other naked figure. All the limbs were lengthened with wire and I am resculpting the head.

 

[blaster]

Here, I have staged the scene with the reworked figures and the earlier figures to give a sense of the scope of this proposed diorama.

 

[blaster]

Final work on the main figure grouping. The Chasseur of the guides (Murat?) was completed. Although not in the painting, I added a left hand and sword because there are funny angles where these hidden items can be seen.

I also worked on Desgenette, creating a complete figure even though he is mostly hidden behind the main grouping.