FIGZ

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Jean-Baptiste De Coster


This month another figure:
Jean-Baptiste De Coster


As you can see, the special figure of Crisis Antwerp 2015!!!
The exhibition I went to like every year!
Each visitor gets such a great figure.

It is a metal figure, here a picture from the master:


I did some research what colors to use, 
but there is not much info
about this man on the internet.


So I took the colors like the cloths they had in those years.
Not very colorful, I know...


Jean Baptist De Coster,  a farmer and innkeeper.
When Napoleon used his inn "La Belle Alliance"
he was forced to be the personal guide of Napoleon.
Afraid of the shots, he was was strapped to a horse.
Some say the French lost because of his bad french.


But after the war, he became a rich man.
As a guide over the battlefield, he ask a lot of money.
In twelve years it was around 300.000 francs!





10 comments:

  1. Hi Remco! Such a remarkable piece of history! I did not know that story! I have visited the Battlefield of Waterloo many many years ago. I was impressed by the painting in the rotunda where you stand in the middle of the battle.... not an easy feeling!
    Your painting is very well done, and I am sure the colors are as accurate as one can get after all these years! Those little details were not recorded.... it was the stuff that was so "obvious" nobody thought to make note!

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  2. What a great idea for a figure!! Nicely done too!

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  3. What a wonderfully original choice for a miniature, great painting too.

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  4. Heel mooi gedaan! Weer eens iets anders dan een Astrix-figuur (ook leuk hoor!).

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  5. Excellent painted figure! And very fast! :-D

    Greetings
    Peter

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  6. Hi Remco,a good choice of a figure to paint,and nicely done too.
    I have seen old pictures of this poor guy who was tied by his wrists with the rope being firmly held by a French trooper on horseback. Napoleon nearby sizing up what he could see as the killing ground of the battle field.This poor fellow portrayed cold and frightened out of his wits wore wooden clogs upon his feet. Which probably was the case upon that awful wet day. Years later real shoes would certainly have been the case for this poor fellow. One thing is for certain he could have given Old Boney a lot more info on the local surroundings than he actually did. So although never held in any high esteem,i believe although frightened out of his wits at that time,he was a very brave individual indeed. BB

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  7. I am currently re-reading Dumas Three Musketeers- and your miniature reminded me immediately of Constance's husband who is thrown into prison. Really cool work.
    Cheers
    ths

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  8. Hey you! This has to be my favourite of all your paint work. But of course I have been gone so long that I may find a new favourite after reading your last post.

    I have to ask though, is your photography bad or does this guy have a bit of a crazy eyes? Maybe its my eyes ..hehe. Anyway, I really liked how you did his clothes. Remarkable my friend.

    And thank you for checking in on me. I am on the road to a good place. Past year has been glad and sad, like everyone else :).

    Remco, did you ever get the tea I sent? Never mind that you are not a tea person. It really just look so pretty. Share it with your love. It always brings a smile.

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