The Drum - J Pellefigue End XIXth Century

Dimensions at sight Height: 33.5 cm Width: 22.5 cm
Dimensions with frame Height: 46 cm Width: 36 cm Frame Old gold frame Technique Oil on panel
Signature Bottom left Although signed

J. Pellefigue, a name that smells well the southwest, and although more than a hundred and twenty painters, designers or illustrators of military scenes from the 19th century are listed, the name and life of this artist has not come down to us.
But never mind ! This painting tells us the story of a drum, wearing a white plumed schako, its case on the side. Slightly swayed, he seems to wait, in a blasé attitude, to take action. But when and why exactly do the drums beat? Two per company (dare I remind you that at that time, a company has 140 men ?!), that is to say fifty drums per regiment, placed under the orders of the drum major.
They beat the signals: the picket drums beat for the service, that is to say the alarm clock, the alarms and various distributions… the police drums beat for the discipline, namely the call, the inspections, the extinction of the lights… and finally the drums make their crate resound during the maneuver, to indicate the cadence of the steps, the reminders, the loads… The drums are in instruction at the drum school, every day of their career in the army. This "school" was established by the Emperor by a decree of July 1811.
The Drum Major leads daily discipline there, assisted by the corporal-drum. If they occupy a modest place in the military hierarchy, the drums of the army, nevertheless perceive a comfortable balance. However, the box, its maintenance, the purchase of skins, accessories is the responsibility of the drum ... the drum major even has his uniform at his entire expense. During the revolutionary period, drums were very often held by children. This is no longer the case in the Napoleonic armies: the decree of 7 Thermidor year VIII (July 26, 1800) having, in particular, fixed the minimum age of drums at 16 years. It is therefore not surprising that our drum is the same age as other soldiers. The drum major is recruited from men of large sizes: under Napoleon, they culminated at more than one meter ninety, like the drum major Silliabus, of the 3rd Regiment of Grenadiers on foot (died during the retreat of Russia), which was over 2 meters long !!

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