Napoleon's Army: 1807-1814, as Depicted in the Prints of Aaron Martinet

264 Pages·2016·36.77 MB·English

by  Guy Dempsey.

I
ARMY
f
1807-1814 (Z(s'y
as depicted in the prints of Aaron Martinet
GUY DEMPSEY,
C. JR.
The remark: collection of
painted prin iown in this book
represents of the most val-
uable primaiy sources of refer-
ence to Napoleonic uniforms ever
assembled. They are presented
here, in book form and in this
quantity, for the first time.
In the early nineteenth century,
Aaron Martinet had the artists he
employed produce a set of draw-
ings of French military uniforms
which were coloured and pro-
duced as prints. Being created at
the time Napoleon and his forces
were so dominant meant that the
images were created from first-
hand information rather than
compiled later and based on sec-
ondary data.
The historian, modeller, war-
gamer and re-enactor will delight
in having such a range of sources,
in full colour, which provide this
degree of authority. The reader
will also benefit from Guy
Dempsey's extensive captioning
and his introductory text. Those
who already own Napoleon's Sol-
diers by the same author, featur-
ing the paintings from the Otto
manuscript, will be eager to add
this fine volume to their personal
archive.
STO
U
355. D39n
Dempsey, Guy C.
Napoleon's army
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
FORT WAYNE, INDIANA 46802
You may return this book to any agency, branch,
or bookmobile ofthe Allen County Public Library
D£MCO

NAPOLEON'S ARMY
1807-1814, as Depicted in
the Prints ofAaron Martinet

NAPOLEON'S
ARMY
1807-1814, as Depicted in
the Prints of Aaron Martinet
Guy C. Dempsey, Jr.
T
ARMS AND
ARMOUR
AllenCounty Public Library
900 Webster Street
PO Box 2270
FortWayne, IN 46801-227$
ForNancy
ArmsandArmourPress
ACassellImprint
WellingtonHouse, 125Strand,LondonWC2ROBB.
Distributedin the USAbySterlingPublishingCo. Inc.,
387ParkAvenue South, NewYork, NY10016-8810.
©GuyC. Dempsey,Jr., 1997
All rightsreserved. No partofthisbookmaybereproducedor
transmitted in anyform orbyanymeanselectronicormechanical
includingphotocopyingrecordingoranyinformation storage and
retrievalsystemwithoutpermission inwritingfrom the Publisher.
British LibraryCataloguing-in-Publication Data:
acataloguerecordfor thisbookisavailable from the
British Library
ISBN 1-85409-347-9
DesignedandeditedbyDAGPublicationsLtd.
DesignedbyDavid Gibbons; editedbyMichael Boxall.
Manyofthe Martinetprintsin thisbookhavebeen
K
reproducedwith the kindpermission oftheAnneS. Brown
MilitaryCollection, Brown UniversityLibrary.The rest
arefrom the author'spersonal collection.
Printedandbound in Slovenia
byarrangementwith Korotan Ljubljanad.o.o.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION,
6
I. AaronMartinetandhis Business 6 C. Imperial Guard Infantry 20
II. The TroupesFrancoisesSeries 9 D. Imperial Guard SupportTroops 21
A. Artists and Engravers 10 E. Carabiniers and Cuirassiers 21
B. Print appearance andformat 11 F. Dragoons 23
C. Series chronology 12 G. Mounted Chasseurs 24
D. The colouring process 13 H. Hussars 26
E. Size ofthe Series 14 I. LightHorse Lancers 27
HI. Reliabilityofthe Prints 15 Line Infantry 28
J.
A. Single-subjectprints 16 K. LightInfantry 28
B. Multi-subjectprints 17 L. Artillery 29
IV. Uniform Information 19 M. AuxiliaryTroops 29
A. Staff 20 N. Foreign Troops 29
B. Imperial Guard Cavalry 20
PRINT REPRODUCTIONS, 33
CAPTIONS TO THE PLATES, 197
APPENDIXES, 223
A Sequential list of TroupesFrangaises F Heavy CavalryPrints 242
Prints Reproduced 224 G Dragoon Prints 244
B Listof TroupesFrangaisesPrints H Mounted Chasseur Prints 247
Reproduced (Arranged in Series I Hussar Prints 250
Numerical Order) 228 J Line LancerPrints 251
C Complete Inventoryof Troupes K Line Infantry' Prints 252
FrangaisesSeries Prints 232 L Light InfantryPrints 253
D Prints ofStaffand Other Miscellaneous M ArtilleryPrints 253
N
Subjects 239 AuxiliaryUnit Prints 254
E Imperial Guard Prints 240 O Foreign Unit Prints 256
INTRODUCTION
Most readers of this book have already seen This book is divided into six sections,
some reproductions ofthe prints ofNapoleonic plus appendixes. The first section combines a
military uniforms produced by the publishing briefbiography ofAaron Martinet with a brief
house ofAaron Martinet because they are emi- history of his business. The second provides
nently decorative works which have been used detailed information about the Troupes
frequently as illustrations in both specialised Francaises series of prints, including a discus-
and general texts about the Napoleonic era. sion about the way they were produced. The
Nevertheless, very few individuals can identify third presents an analysis of the reliabilitv of
Martinet prints as such on sight, and fewer still the prints as a primary source for the study of
are alert to the iconographic and historical sig- Napoleonic military uniforms. The fourth
nificance of this artwork. Their familiarity has gives background information about the uni-
bred indifference rather than contempt, but forms worn by Napoleon's armies, which is
the result is that Martinet prints have generally included for use in connection with the print
been overlooked as a primary source for the reproductions and the commentaries on indi-
study ofFrench First Empire militaryuniforms.1 vidual prints that form, respectively, the fifth
This is most unfortunate, because careful study and sixth sections of the book. The appen-
of the prints yields a vast wealth of accurate dixes take the place ofa standard index, since
information about that subject. they consist of lists of prints in the Troupes
The present studv focuses on a particular Francaises series sorted in a variety of ways so
series of hand-coloured line engravings pub- that the reader can trace a particular print by
lished by Martinet which is entitled Troupes means of any one of the following types of
Francaises [French Troops]. There are almost information: 1) the number indicating its
four hundred different prints in a full set order ofappearance in the Martinet series; 2)
from the series, each depicting one or more the number indicating its order ofappearance
soldiers from a particular regiment of in this book; and 3) the type of military unit
Napoleon's army. The colour, style and detail depicted in the print.
of French military costume is captured in a
unique fashion by these authentically contem-
porarv works. Publisher Aaron Martinet was, I. AARON MARTINETAND HIS
above all else, a businessman and the success BUSINESS
ofhis business required him to produce prints
which faithfully represented their chosen sub- People have always been curious about the
jects. In this case, his profit motive led to the world around them and have explored many
creation ofenduring primary source material. ways of communicating information to satisfy