Hi. The above engraving,I think by Bellange,shows De Beauharnais wearing the embroidered breeches.Do you think these are white cotton or the deerskin breeches?
I'm painting CGS's Chasseur a Cheval and would like to alter him from the box art. I'm not modelling him as De Beauharnais but using the picture as a reference.
Any thoughts would be appreciated as I've found nothing else to suggest the deerskin was embroidered.
Thanks.
Jon (and it's not because I can't paint whites very well !! )

Fot whatever my opinion is worth, I don't think these breeches would ever be white John . If I were painting them I would go for an Ivory toned finish.

I do believe they would be well nigh impossible to keep white at this point of history without being boil washed.
Most cotton fabrics went yellow quite quickly because of the impregnation of perspiration.
both would be impractical most of the time.


The use of soft chamois skin would be kept for parade or review but senior officers wealth meant they could wear posh stuff anytime.

Go with what suits the time and place of the models setting I reckon.
Paul.

Hi Paul.
I think you're right.I've gone for a white with a touch of ochre to give a pale cream. All the examples of embroidered breeches I've seen have been cotton but I wondered whether there were any examples of the deerskin ones being done the same way.
Thanks for your help.
Jon

There may have been some for the coronation for state dress but I think they'd be very difficult to keep in good order for regular use.

Paul