Grenadiers At La Garde - Théodore Fort 1810-1896

Dimensions at sightHeight: 9.5 cm Length: 13.5 cmDimensions with frameHeight: 19 cm Length: 23.5 cm FormatItalian Signaturebottom left MaterialPencil drawing, black pencil, gouache and watercolor
FrameNatural wood frame Pitchpin

Once is not customary, Théodore Fort did not draw a horse. But this drawing so precise and so informed expresses his other favorite theme, the representation of the military fact Napoleon III very committed to his plans to liberate the Italian States from Austrian domination seized the invasion of Piedmont by Austria to declare war on May 4, 1859 and bring aid to his ally. Was our grenadier at the Guard monitoring the plains of Magenta? Or those of Solferino? Be that as it may, standing in a slightly swaying pose, leaning on the end of the barrel of his rifle topped with his bayonet, this grenadier focuses his gaze towards the horizon. All the subtlety is in the title "on guard (sentinel)" which clearly tells us that the soldier does not belong to the Imperial Guard, but to an active regiment. He wears the "imperial blue" uniform on which white buffalories and scarlet fringed epaulettes are crossed. The end of the sleeves is decorated with a red cloth facing with white tabs. Like all the Grenadiers, he wears his imposing teddy bear, this cap formerly made of teddy bear hair, now made of goat hair, much less expensive. A white braided cord connects the red plume to the oval-shaped racket (on the left side of the cap). He carries his cartridge pouch, attached after a blackened leather banner, is attached to the uniform by means of a short martingale to one of the waist buttons. The cartridge pouch is intended to hold the necessary for shooting (including cartridges, each Grenadier receives fifty) and for the maintenance of the rifle. He sports his saber-briquet with a straight blade which measured 60 centimeters, worn on the back, which frees the legs of the infantrymen for a more flexible and rapid march.

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