I was looking at and translating into English Lucien Rousselot’s list of colors for the Grande Armee. There are two colors listed as vert dragon and vert chasseur, but to my eye they’re the same. I can convince myself that the Chassuer green may be a tad darker just because its on the list and is a completely subjective decision. Just for chuckles, does any one know if there was a noticeable difference? Enquiring minds want to know. Being half Irish I know for a fact there are at least 40 shades to chose from.

Kurt

I wouldn’t be too concerned: green in days before aniline dyes was not very light, water fast and faded...I’d say if you wanted a more pristine look, do chasseur with bit more yellow, dragoon towards blue green..

Grasshopper, I really like the Chasseur picture but can’t quite read the artist signature. Do you know it?

Kurt

The available dyes we’re limited, often officers had their own uniforms made by personal tailors ...even knowing the particular dyes..I enjoy dye chemistry and will dog, although others may know, even knowing the dye, actual effect depends of dying process, and unless an unworn garment was found after being kept out of light all these years, then it’s a best guess anyway..as well, the scale effect of size and distance mutes and lightens so in miniature something a bit less bright will be scale appropriate for visual effect

There you go..chasseur green is more blue grey..a pthalo green blue shade, vs Chrome green..

I’m just saying I only see a tad difference and only because its stated as being different. I might be forcing my mind to see a difference. This was not meant to be a serious discussion. It is a very handy reference though and now I know ( but can’t really pronounce correctly) they’re proper French names ( or Rousselot’s names for them).

Kurt

It’s proper French...I know the discussion was just that as were my replies...it’s not rivit counting..

Grasshopper,
I shouldn't have said proper French, the only French I know is from the song Lady Marmalade, and that always gets me in trouble. I meant the correct French words used for the name Rousselot chose to call a particular color in his chart.

As an aside. I found this interesting (in this forum) for Aurore, which I always thought was a form of pink/yellow or "dawn", which really narrows down your choice. It's from an 1823 fabric, but that says orange to me. I really don't care about the chemistry, changes by age, if the observer has been smoking weed. I like that shade, and will probably use it when I need Aurore.

I've never been a rivet counter in any of my many hobbies, but try to go for the illusion. Look at the Old Masters in representing a color. They used a number of straight colors not mixed on say a gold object, and it sure looked gold unless you got real close.

Kurt

Definitely..I enjoy the chemistry, with degree and working a while as dye chemist trying to fix big bolts that were otherwise spoiled at factory making viyella cloth in Devon...it’s always intrigued me both the evolution of pigments and how masters of any period made crazy cool stuff with their materials..from ochre in cave paintings, the old masters using limited materials but so incredibly well..if you are interested check a US maker called Natural Pigments...and books on evolution of various colours thru pigments..the scale effect is no more than the idea that looking at a 1/1 Ferrari up close and personal and seeing it at a distance, the colours don’t look the same. With smaller scale, say mountains in a background, things get duller, lower chroma..hence say model cars often look rather toylike in part because paint is used to match 1/1, whereas a touch of white- the more the smaller the scale- and can look more effective..

You and I are on the same page. And who did that Chassuer picture? I would really would enjoy seeing more of their work ( labor of love rather)!

Kurt

Artist is Stefan Manni. He’s got stuff on Pinterest.

Thanks a million!

I've added Stefano Manni to the 'Artists & Illustrators' listing, and have posted some of his artwork here.

Cheers,
Andrew

Funny how one thing leads to another ..fun chat gents

Hey, that was interesting and informative. I have always had a thing about "scale colour", and historically available colours pre chemical dyes.
I love Rousselot's name for that pinkish colour "Ventre de biche" - can't see W&N using that name nowadays

Phil

But doesn’t “doe belly” give a good visual as to the colour of what we might think of as riding habit?

I searched ventre de biche and actually there was a cosmetic company that had a product with that name. The closest I could come to it on a W&N chart was called Transparent Red Ochre. We all see the same color slightly differently, and it ends up being subjective. The color I spent the most time trying to figure out was blanc pique de bleu gris clair. I c ame up with a toss up between Wedgewood Blue and Wedgewood Gray. But searches of images for the color came up wildly different. I got a kick out of brun-marron which translates to brown brown. If you go to a real good artist supply store with high end oil paints each brand has completely names for their colors except for the basic chemical sounding colors. “ A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” Go the garden shop or nursery and see how many names they have for their roses! Also look at your car in the daytime and under parking lot lights. That reminds me I worked in the men’s clothing department at big department store during college and it was a common thing carrying clothes to one of the doors that lead to the parking lot out side so the customer could see what color the item “really” was. In the end “you pays your money and you takes your choice. “

Kurt