Friday, November 28, 2014

Image of French military mules, WAS

A detail from an engraving reproducing the painting of the Battle of Assietta during the War of Austrian Succession by Hyacinthe de la Pegna. A zoomable version of the whole painting is available here; full of 'authentic' looking details such as the ersatz gaiters of canvas.

Unfortunately it seems that the only images in full color available on the web are incomplete, showing only the upper right part with the death of the French commander the Chevalier de Belle-Isle:
 The place where the original painting is exposed is unfortunately not given on Wikipedia, so the colors of the mules' harness, decorated eyelids, bells... remain so far a mystery.
As far as I know no manufacturer offers such gloriously decorated military mules (which according to a contemporary text were 'punished' by being deprived of their bells and plumes if disobedient!). Of course they would look more 'warlike' without their eating bags!

Thanks to 'Ralphus'who posted the link to the engraving on the 'Wars of Louis XIV' blog . I already knew this image from "L'histoire universelle des armées', Laffont, 1966,

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Meet the new Duke of Tradgardland

Gentle readers and fellow devotees of imaginations you are invited to drop by the Tradgardstadt Palace grounds and meet the new Duke of Tradgardland- http://tradgardland.blogspot.co.uk/