Here is my completed original bust (1/6 scale) of Acting Major Talbot Papineau, who was KIA as C Company commander in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on Oct. 30 1917. He fully expected to die in this attack against German concrete pillboxes, declaring to a brother officer "This is Suicide." He was hit in the chest by a German shell as he left the start line. Weeks later a friend found his legs protruding from a water filled shell hole and recognised them by the unique method Papineau had of wearing his puttees. His identity was confirmed when his pockets were checked. Everything above the waist was gone. He was buried but like many other WWI battlefield graves, his final resting place was lost to mud and shell fire. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate in Ypres.

Papineau was a significant loss to Canada and many think he would have risen high in the Canadian government. He was one of the few politicians to have charisma as well as a solid understanding of both the French and English cultures in Canada. PM McKenzie King once told a fellow train traveller that had Papineau not been lost in the war, that person would have been addressing Papineau as PM instead of King.

Papineau's death was also a devastating loss to two women - his mother - who never recovered, and to US pen pal Beatrice Fox. Fox had never even met him, but Papineau and she entered into a lengthy correspondance and they both fell in love through their letters. After the war, Fox donated her side of the correspondance from Papineau to the Canadian people and they are amongst the most moving and telling of WWI letters. In her transmittal letter that accompanied her gift, she simpy stated "We dreamed true."

Bust's face is sculpey firm. Rest is Magic Sculpt. Painted in various acrylics and inks. I still need to mount him on a properly labelled base and I will update this post when I acquire one.

Edit - the "VP" on the buttons is for Princess Patricia....it stands for "Victoria Patricia."

Colin

A great finish Colin and an incredible likeness. I really enjoyed the back story and the wip's you posted.

Roger.

This is a very nice piece and was a pleasure watching it from putty to paint and adding the history of the subject made it very poignant. If the PPCLI Museum in Calgary (The Military Museums) knew about this piece I would think they may want to acquire it. It truly does have a place there.

Cheers

Ray

A top class topic and a piece of Canadian History! I agree with Ray!
It was a pleasure to watch you sculpting and painting this piece! I hope to have a chance to see it in person in Ajax this year!
Keep up the great work!
Cheers mate,
Zeno

Hi Colin,
This is an excellent piece and a great bit of background history. Well done mate, can't wait to see what you produce next.
cheers
Richie

Super work throughout the whole piece Colin.
Great likeness in the sculpt well endorsed by your brush skills.
You are getting better and better every piece my friend.
Cheers
Keith

Beautifully done!!! A nice clean painting and a very nice sculpt indeed!!!

Regards
Pedro

Bravo, Colin, Bravo (starting a slow clap here on the couch). IMHO, this is your best work to date, from the deep research, to the sculpting process and the now easily recognizable "Fraserian" painting style. Look forward to the final presentation and to seeing it in the flesh next month in Ajax.
Beautiful work

Deeply Impressed Colin

Another fantastic sculpt Colin. I kinda wish this was a commercial piece, it is that well done and an interesting subject.

Hello Colin, I have enjoyed viewing this piece from beginning to end. Your workmanship, attention to detail, and extensive research, is truly remarkable. I look forward to the upcoming Lt. Dunn piece, that you mentioned in your other thread. Congratulations on a beautiful piece Colin, and thanks for the historical background on a very interesting man, Maj. Papineau. Regards, SG

Great execution of colors, contrast, lights and amazing details on the figure Colin, you've really done justice to resemble this man.
All the best.

Very very good.

Actually when I glanced at a thumbnail and a first picture I thought it was a reference from a museum, with a glare on the glass !

A great figure of an extraordinary man. Fantastic work!

Wow....thanks for the very generous feedback. I really enjoy doing personalities as getting the portrait element right is an additional sculpting challenge. There is usually a cool story to tell as well, which makes the research a lot more enjoyable for me. Doing an individual also opens up a lot more of a research opportunity that may not exist for a generic figure of a certain unit in a specific place and time. You get to personalize the model a lot more. That's why I generally depict people I admire in some way.

My next project (as mentioned) will be Lt. Alexander Dunn of the 11th Hussars c. 1854, who won Canada's first VC in the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava. As the officers of the 11th had one of the coolest uniforms in military history, its a double win for me in terms of motivation. I haven't decided whether to do a 1/6 bust or to attempt a full 1/6 figure like my earlier Marchal Ney. As I really want to sculpt that ornamental sabretache, I am leaning toward the latter!

Colin

Colin. Very impressive. As mentioned above, very tidy painting.

Hi Colin,
Firstly the very generous feedback is greatly deserved on your part, it's been a pleasure for us all watching this one mate. I have just had a look for Dunn, he has a great face full of character. Go on treat us all, do the full figure you know you want to.
cheers
Richie

Richie's right... you know you want to do a full figure. How can you do a "Cherry Bum" if he has no bum? It's a beautiful uniform, head to toe.... DO IT!!!!

Colin

Looking forward to this fellow already.
Usual sbs Colin?
Nice post Richie
Cheers Guys,
Keith

Oops

Sure why not....."

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd? (Yes....me)
Not tho' the soldier knew
Someone had blunder'd: (time will tell)
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why, etc."

Colin