1. Copying kits is a crime that hurts original artists & producers. Help support your favorite artists by buying their original works. PlanetFigure will not tolerate any activities related to recasting, and will report recasters to authorities. Thank you for your support!

Completed Nicolas-Charles Oudinot

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Nap, Apr 22, 2021.

  1. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi everyone

    Next on my bench will be a old Verlinden bust othat arrived mysteriously in the post a while back from a PF guy called "Leggey" aka Daddy0 ...big thanks to him for the donation to the help "Busty" funds

    Here is the box art ....I am hoping mine might be a little dare I say better ...this will be a straight paint nothing added as he has a couple of chest bling already

    X.jpg WIP Verlinden Oudinot.jpg WIP Ouidnot.jpg

    Bit of background

    Nicolas-Charles Oudinot was born on April 25, 1767 in Bar-le-Duc in the Lorraine. In 1784 at the age of 17, he attempted to escape from his father's brewery by joining an infantry regiment, but his father soon forced him to return to the nest.

    The Revolution allowed him to leave for good. He enlisted in the National Guard, became a Captain in a temporary unit on July 14, 1789 and the Lieutenant Colonel of a regiment of volunteers in 1791.

    He was promoted to chef de brigade (Colonel) for his defence of the city of Bitche in November 1793.

    One month later, Oudinot received the first in a series of thirty-two injuries making him the most ill-fated Marshal.

    He returned to the army four months later distinguishing himself by forcing his way through enemy ranks at Kaiserslautern (May 1794) with his bayonet. Promoted to Brigadier General, he commanded the city of Trier (Germany) for several months due to another injury. He returned to combat in October 1795 only to received five sabre wounds and bullet injury in the same day.

    Captured by the enemy, he was freed in January 1796. Several injuries later, he was named général de division (Major General) in April 1799 and transferred to the Swiss Army under the command of André Masséna where he distinguished himself at once at Zurich. Later, he again served under Masséna as Chief of Staff during the Second Italian Campaign. He celebrated Christmas in 1800, during the Battle of the Mincio River, by capturing an Austrian canon.

    After the armistice, Nicolas-Charles Oudinot became Inspector General of the Infantry and then of the Cavalry as well.

    When the Grande Armée was formed, he took command of a division of grenadiers, but a bullet to his leg forced him to relinquish his command at the beginning of the campaign (October 1805).

    He was injured again in May 1807 when he broke his leg falling off a horse. Nonetheless, he was at the head of his grenadiers at Friedland in June. That day, his request for reinforcements prompted Napoleon I to reply, Tell Oudinot that wherever he is, he need only fear himself (Oudinot later had these words engraved on a pipe given to him by the Emperor).

    A Count since 1808, Oudinot participated in the German Campaign of 1809, winning the Battle of Pfaffenhofen and receiving an injured at Essling. At Essing and Wagram, he replaced Jean Lannes as Commander. He was elevated to Marshal six days later.

    In April 1810, he became Duke of Reggio and Commander in Holland when he was recalled to France. His moderation and the discipline he imposed on his troupes later merited the thanks of the new King after the fall of the Empire.

    In 1812, he entered Russia at the head of his grenadiers, captured Podolsk in August where he was seriously injured. Scarcely recovered, he returned to command during the retreat and was again gravely wounded at the Battle of Berezina.

    1813 was hardly kinder to him. Beaten by Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte at Gross Beeren in August, he contracted typhus a few weeks later and returned to France in critical condition.

    Once again, he was barely allowed time to recover before returning to the front. He evaded death by a hair at Brienne (January 1814) when a cannon-ball grazed both his legs and at Arcis-sur-Aube in Marche when he was struck by a bullet in the chest, throwing him spread-eagle into the ranks of the Legion of Honour.

    On April 4, 1814 at Fontainebleau, Oudinot was among the most vociferous advocates for Napoleon I's abdication, offering his services immediately after to the Count d'Artois. King Louis XVIII gave him command of a military region.

    At the beginning of the Hundred Days, after failing to lead his troupes against Napoleon, he returned to his estate without a commission.

    With the return of Louis XVIII, he was returned to his duties with the additional responsibility of commanding the National Guard of Paris. He was made a Duke and Peer in 1817 and commanded the Spanish Expedition in 1823 under the Duke d'Angoulême.

    In 1842, he was named Governor of the Invalides , the last post he would hold. He died at the respectable age of 80 on September 13, 1847 in the H(tel des Invalides. He was laid to rest in the Governor's Crypt of the Cathedral of Saint-Louis.

    Freemasonry: Marshal Oudinot was initiated as a Freemason in 1799 at the "Saint-Jean de Jérusalem" Lodge in Nancy (the same lodge that would initiate Michel Ney two years later) and was a member of the "L'Amitié" ("Friendship") Lodge of Arras in 1805. In 1811, he received the title "Your Worship" from the "Saint-Napoleon" Lodge and under the Restoration was made Worshipful Grand Officer of the Grand Orient of France.

    The name Oudinot can be found on the 13rd column (east side) of the Arc de Triomphe while a statue by Pierre Joyeux honouring the Duke of Reggio's memory can be found on the north side of the Louvre on the Rue de Rivoli .

    Some references

    XXX.jpg
    IMG_7608.jpg
    IMG_7610.jpg IMG_7609.jpg IMG_7611.jpg
    [IMG][IMG] xx.jpg

    One of his actual coats which sold for approx £80,000 in a french auction house
    xxx.jpg
    Couple of books

    [IMG][IMG][IMG] XX.jpg

    Of interest as well

    [IMG][IMG]

    Currently he looks like this ....based coated .....pics curtesy of iffyvision productions

    Its already based up using the provided base rather than a brass rod that fits perfectly on a lovley rounded base from Richard Wharton of Oakwood Bases

    IMG_7619.jpg IMG_7620.jpg


    Thanks for looking in

    Stay tuned

    Nap
    Erbay, Perseas, anstontyke and 8 others like this.
  2. DaddyO A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Coming along nicely there old fruit :)

    Staying tuned
    Leggy
    anstontyke, Nap and Oda like this.
  3. Marcin Morawski A Fixture

    Country:
    Poland
    I'm on the audience as well. Interesting research as always, Kev.
    anstontyke and Nap like this.
  4. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    anstontyke and Nap like this.
  5. akaryu Moderator

    Country:
    Belgium
    Another Verlinden beauty, once you erase the box art from your mind, that is.

    Looking forward to see you tackle him (the bust, not Verlinden of course:))

    Pierre
    anstontyke, Nap and DaddyO like this.
  6. Larsen E. Whipsnade Moderator

    Country:
    United-States
    Very cool! Go, Nap, go!
    anstontyke and Nap like this.
  7. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Good to hear Leggy



    Front seat for you ....watch out for Leggy he likes popcorn !

    Cheers should paint up okay ......ref face ...no factor 50 available ...hence sunburn!!

    Box art was IMO not the strongest part of the Verlinden !

    Nice to have you in the audience as well

    Happy benchtime

    Nap

    PS going to sand back that putty you can see in first of the unpainted resin pics
    anstontyke and DaddyO like this.
  8. akaryu Moderator

    Country:
    Belgium
    Nap, I trust you have seen this thread on the forum https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/marshal-oudinot.36488/ of another attempt to portray Monsieur Oudinot.

    Also from your experience of painting a thousand or so busts, you realize the end of your tribulations will result in a lovely piece of work, bearing no likeness whatsoever to Nicolas-Charles Oudinot.

    That is another peculiarity of the napoleonic bust series from Verlinden, not a single one of them bears the slightest resemblance to the person it pretends to depict.

    I once got tricked in painting the bust of Lannes in his Swiss uniform, only to realize when finished his face and hairdo didn't look like him at all.

    But in no way my grumbling should deter you from your artistic endeavors!

    cheers,

    Pierre
    anstontyke and Nap like this.
  9. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Pierre

    Thanks for link , not see it , nice version by John there ...that sash is to die for ! image.jpeg

    I keep looking at the facial feature ...reckon your right doesn't look much like him but should paint up okay ....need to confirm eye and hair colour as well

    Thanks for looking in

    Happy benchtime

    Nap
  10. arj A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Kevin,

    I had a go at most of these Verlinden busts of Napoleon's Marshals many moons ago.
    They were all fun to paint, but the Murat one was nothing like the man.
    Anyway, one doesn't 'often' see these people in real life, but I've come across this one of Oudinot in later life:-

    Nicolas-Charles-Victor_Oudinot.jpg

    I presume this is a daguerreotype image.
    Obviously no help to you with eye colour etc, but interesting in itself.

    Cheers,
    Andrew
    Nap and akaryu like this.
  11. akaryu Moderator

    Country:
    Belgium
    Kevin,

    Judging from the existing portraits of the man, I'd go for brown/hazel eyes and black or very dark brown hair. Just an educated guess, having never met the man in person.

    From the painting, engravings and statues you see the form of the face and the nose are rather different from the Verlinden bust; face is more triangular with a smallish chin, high forehead and a straight nose, giving our friend a rather haughty look.

    Nicolas_Charles_Oudinot_by_Robert_Lefèvre.jpeg Nicolas_Charles_Oudinot_(1792).jpeg Bar-le-Duc-Monument_Oudinot_(1).jpeg affc56e67d43442ee34f99e1448b8f2a.jpg


    Looking forward to see this grow!

    Pierre
    Nap and DaddyO like this.
  12. Peter Day PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    The usual thorough research and a great start Nap. I've only done Davout in this range, but it was a very nice bust to work on.
    Nap likes this.
  13. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Guys

    Thanks for posts

    Andrew ...great picture of the man ...would make a definately good bust

    Pierre ...appreciate your thoughts ref colouring and features , think I might leave the Verlinden as it is ..not got enough skill to redo his face ...Leggy would hunt me down ! .....will try and define the hair features

    ...I am tempted to add the bling oak leaves to the sleeves though

    Peter ...great to have you with me on this , I did Laselle years ago ...probably one of my first busts ! ...no ide where it's is now

    Stay tuned and happy benchtime

    Nap
    DaddyO likes this.
  14. DaddyO A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Nah not me big fella :D

    Like the added bling (You just can't help yourself can you) :ROFLMAO:

    Cheers
    Leggy
    Nap likes this.
  15. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England

    Arm bling added .....they were looking lost without it .....and it's seen in references ! ...phew !

    Nap
    DaddyO likes this.
  16. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    close up from Pierres pics

    image.jpeg

    Additional arm lace all dry , now primed , will basecoat later

    If the torso was longer I woukd add the lower star as in picture !

    Looking forward to getting this going

    Happy benchtime to all

    Nap
    DaddyO likes this.
  17. Tonton Well-Known Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Looking good. I knew some of his background but not all the details you supplied, Nap. Fancy running away from a brewery to join the army! Strange man.

    Jeff
    Nap likes this.
  18. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Guys

    Verbal update ..pics later

    Additional lace not looking too bad , now all prined and base coated

    Working on the face first on this one then it will be the lacework

    Happy benchtine

    Nap
  19. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi everyone

    Update pics as promised showing additional lacework and flesh work just starting ..lots to do on that !!

    Click on pics for larger image if you wish

    All comments welcome]

    Happy benchtime

    Nap

    WIP 001.jpg WIP 003.jpg
    WIP 004.jpg WIP 002.jpg
  20. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi everybody

    Picture updates////

    Flesh anmd hair all done , shirt collar and neck cloth competed , ribbons all done

    Star just basecoated and lined in

    Next will be the sash ...need to think how to replicate the silk ...all thoughts welcome, then the actual medals , then the lacework ....and a final check and that should be it !!!

    Que the pics......click on for larger images if you wish

    All comments welcome

    Happy benchtime

    Nap

    WIP 001.jpg WIP 003.jpg

    WIP 004.jpg WIP 002.jpg
    DaddyO likes this.

Share This Page

planetFigure Links

Reviews & Open Box
Buy. Sell & trade
Articles
Link Directory
Events
Advertising

Popular Sections

Figure & Minis News
vBench - Works in Progress
Painting Talk
Sculpting Talk
Digital Sculpting Talk
The Lounge
Report Piracy

Who we are

planetFigure is a community built around miniature painters, sculptors and collectors, We are here to exchange support, Information & Resources.

© planetFigure 2003 - 2022.