My name is Mark and I am a hussar-aholic. It has been three days since I painted my last hussar.
You see I have this thing about hussars. Whenever I see a regiment of them in the order of battle for an army I am building I have to have them. But when I start painting them I nearly always ask myself "WHY DID YOU DO THIS?" All that lace and fiddly stuff to paint and I am not good at that sort of stuff…a painter’s remorse you might say.
For me hussars are the epitome of European light cavalry from the Seven Years War through to the Great War. The very word echoes flamboyance. They are the good time boys of the cavalry.
I have hussars for the Russian and Prussian Napoleonic armies, the Carlist armies, the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian armies and the WWI Germans. So it should come as no surprise that when I saw the 7th Hussars for the French in Egypt army on the Perry’s website my fingers were drawn inexorably to the “add to cart” button. When I got the figures they were wonderful castings, especially the one piece casting of the officer, but that remorse came over me almost at once – will I be able to do justice to them? I put them back in the painting queue until almost the end of the project.
Last Sunday was the day scheduled for the hussars to make their appearance on the painting desk. I started with the command stand with the usual dread. To my surprise they came up beautifully and easily, as did the remainder of the regiment.
So here they are the 7e Régiment de Hussars (bis). The regiment has “bis” added to the title to differentiate it from the other 7e Régiment de Hussars - in the chaos of revolutionary France a bureaucratic blunder saw two regiments raised under the same number.
I'm a shrink and I declare hussar-aholism entirely adaptive Mark, speaking from a completely objective clinical perspective ;)
ReplyDeleteI do rather know what you mean about post hussar acquisition and lace painting regret... looks great once done though, excellent work! :)
Thanks Mark. They were fun. I can see some more hussars on the horizon...for the French 1812-1813 project.
DeleteAnd why not. Yours are very beautiful. My favourite French hussar regiment remains the lovely 3rd hussars, and then Jerome Napoleon's regiment with white fur trim. Damn, you're setting me off.
ReplyDeleteAt least I know that my addiction is not unique :-) and is seemingly contageous.
DeleteYou have done a nice job on these boys despite your protestations mark!
ReplyDeleteI was surprised how well they came up, especially given the difficulty I had with the Russian hussars. Mind you this unit did not have a great deal of visible frogging - much of it was covered by cross belts and arms and that made it a lit easier.
DeleteLovely work on these Mark.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if 'bis' may be an example of French humour and, given the times, whether the person who attached the appendage had one of his cut off.
Thanks Lawrence. Yes the mind boggles at what the penalty for such a blunder might be.
DeleteBeautiful work. Never be cured.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I don't think there is a cure for this particular addiction.
DeleteBeautiful work, Mark! Since the 7th was not as difficult as expected, throw another regiment of hussars onto the painting desk before you change your mind!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jonathan. Fortunately, for my additction treatment, there was only one regiment of hussars in Egypt and there are no more hussars in my plastic stock pile....yet.
DeleteA fantastic job (and presentaiton) for a splendid uniform!
ReplyDeleteThank you Phil. I agree great uniform.
DeleteThey look great, very evocative of spirited cavalry. I always was tempted by the French in Egypt as a project and this doesn't help me at all, :)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to their first battle.
I too am looking forward to the first battle, although it will be still some time away...need to build up the opposition first.
DeleteGreat post Mark, good job you are surrunded by a support group :-)
ReplyDeleteCheers
Stu
Thanks Stu. Support groups are all well and good so long as you don't have to stand around holding hands singing "Kimbaya"!
DeleteLovely stuff Mark...as if one needed any more reasons to do the French in Egypt.
ReplyDeleteAlso one of my favourite Hussar uniforms.
All the best. Aly
Thanks Aly. This was a very satisfying unit to complete. The last two units of the project are finished now, just the bases to be finished off.
DeleteYou have to talk about these things! Seriously good looking hussars, I keep putting mine off and painting landsknechts instead!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Despite my hesitation with these I enjoyed them so much I kind of wish there had been another unit in Egypt so that I could painted that too.
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