Joseph Bara (1 Viewer)

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While waiting around for my diorama to be properly glued (o/n epoxy resin), I chanced upon this figure waiting to be repainted.

It is a Mokarex figure of a young boy of the French revolution who was killed by Vendean rebels. Joseph Bara was reputedly a young drummer boy but this figure is depicted wearing hussar uniform.

Some contemporary websites show that he is revered as a national hero who was killed while protecting horses from the rebels.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Bara

A couple of paintings by Joseph Weerts show him in the hussar uniform from which the Mokarex figure obvious drew inspiration.
https://blog.causeur.fr/bonnetdane/...616/joseph-weerts-1846-1927-mort-de-bara-1880

The figure by itself looked fairly interesting to paint but then I decided that it could be improved. For example, if I substitituted Historex sabre and sabretache for the poorly moulded items and also replaced the hands?

 

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Then the painting itself got me thinking. The figure is depicted as being just shot. What about the context? He was shot while handling horses.

I had a suitable horse already - A Historex conversion which could be used and taken from an abandoned Murat conversion. That conversion was abandon because the Murat figure was too large for the horse.

Thus I removed the Joseph Bara from its base in order mount it later on a larger base with the horse. I also changed the right hand position. This new pose is closer to the painting and also allows him to be holding onto the horse reins.

I've decided to also add a mirliton hat accessory as well as in the painting. I have a lot of Historex accessories and I might as well make use of them.

 

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I shifted the right arm position.

 

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Puttied over the right shoulder and started on the soles of the boots.

 

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Since I'm on a hussar roll, I took out this figure from and have started to paint it.

 

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Finally took out some cadmium yellow and dribbled it on this figure. There is hardly any moulded detail here so the effect is dribbly. Figure appears to be crying out for help from this exercise...hahaha.

 

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Matched this figure to the horse.