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Re: War of Spanish Succession - Kronoskaf website

Yes, thank you for the Laguerre reference, Flambeau. I agree that, given that the works were painted quite soon after Blenheim (within 10 years), they are likely to be more accurate than later depictions. The points of detail eg: British grenadiers and their cropped hair, are worth knowing. Let's bear in mind also that beneath the big wigs gentlemen-of-quality also had close-cropped hair. Laguerre (in the oil sketch at Marlborough House) also shows a slain French Maison du Roi (Gendarme or Garde du Corps) officer at the feet of Marlborough and Eugene - quite symbolic this, the defeat of the French Royal Household - with his (the Frenchman's) wig falling away to reveal a close-cropped scalp.

The variety of coat colours for senior officers reveals that, in an age where wealth and aristocratic title allowed you to do almost as you wished, commanders would not necessarily wear a 'uniform'.

There are some interesting notes here:
https://www.rct.uk/collection/408442/the-battle-of-blenheim-13-august-1704-john-churchill-1st-duke-of-marlborough-1650

Re: War of Spanish Succession - Kronoskaf website

Thanks for the link, Minuteman. Doing some research is as much a fun part of the hobby as collecting and painting, isn't it? Especially on a dark, rainy day.
A nice weekend to all of you out there!

Re: War of Spanish Succession - Kronoskaf website

Thanks for sharing these links. As fun as research can be, I have very little spare time due to my work commitments, so I rely on other people to do the hard work and post links and screenshots etc to the useful pictures and info on uniforms!

Re: War of Spanish Succession - Kronoskaf website

Interesting perspective on the "Marlborough at Ramillies" painting by Laguerre - I had always understood the dead figure without his wig at Marlborough's feet not to be a Frenchman but Marlborough's equerry Colonel Bingfield, who was famously decapitated by a cannonball while helping Marlborough remount during the battle. While the graphic decapitation could be shown on things like contemporary playing cards, an academic painting would not be so lurid and would simply show the unfortunate Bingfield in a pose of dignified death.

The reason for my interpretation is that there are two other dead figures in the foreground before Marlborough, and they very much resemble Allied horsemen (English and Dutch, or possibly Prussian) rather than Frenchmen who are shown in dark gray in the background melee.

Re: War of Spanish Succession - Kronoskaf website

Indeed Samogon, and I guess that only Monsieur Laguerre would be able to tell us what he intended by the prominent dead/prone figure in red. To my eyes the uniform of the casualty looks so much like that of a French Maison du Roi Gendarme ie: more so than a British officer, that I feel this is the intention of the artist; plus the fact that Marlborough himself seems remarkably composed in the painting, hardly the face of a man who has just in the last few minutes seen his aide decapitated...and indeed of a man who has missed being killed himself by a mere few centimetres.

But who are we to say after so many centuries have passed since the painting was made?