The Horrors of War, TYW

[Michel]

My project is finished...
I used the famous and horrible picture of Jaques Callot as a model.

Vote for me: https://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/36584

[MABO]

Very impressive work Michel. Maybe you can tell us a little bit about the origin of the several parts. I recognize Munich and Germania figures, but the dead men are also Germania figs? And how you made the great tree? And am I right, that the flag is from the Swedish army? This is your interpretation? In the famous painting I did not identify a nation, but I am no expert.

[Michel]

Thanks Jan, for your kind words.
The dead men are sculpted by Andreas Hofmann. These painted ones are the master figures, so there´s no copies.
The Tree is made by a friend of mine, Jos Geurts, who made all the trees for Wolfgang Meyer´s Dioramas.
It's a French flag. I live in the Electoral Palatinate and the French troops have done a lot of Horror to the population here.
However, the flag represents all nations and groups that have committed these crimes against the people!

[C M Dodson]

I was wondering what had happened to this project and here it is.

Gruesome stuff but very well done with superb modelling and painting.

The tree is lovely and the composition very effective.

The horrors of the Thirty Years war is well represented.

Congratulations.

Best wishes,

Chris

[Bessiere]

Magnificent work in every aspect. The subject matter may be too graphic for some but like Goya you have taken it head on. Major respect sir! Weren't events such as this the reason for Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden to join the war after Germans came to him pleading of such atrocities? (if I remember history correctly). Brilliant diorama all around and even the base adds to the sombre mood, almost like an island in the bottom layer of hell. + + +

[steve_pickstock]

The manner in which this diorama had been made is a fine example of the modeller's art, and I salute you sir, for your work.

Such attrocities were a fact of war in the 17thC, sometimes it was because the Lawes and Ordinances of Warre (or their local equivalent) had been broken. These were the agreed rules that the combattants agreed to, like the Geneva Convention. So offenders could be hung - or a variety of other punishments including the offenders having their tongues bored with a hot iron.

In Shropshire in 1644 the Parliamentarian Committee for the town of Shrewsbury hung 13 captured soldiers because they were Irish troops (the inference being that they were catholics, catholicism being the big bogeyman in Protestant England at the time).

In return Prince Rupert captured 12 local soldiers, he was going to hang them all but one saw his previous landlord, Sir Vincent Corbet, ride past asked if he would intercede on his behalf, which he did and the man was freed on parole.

After Naseby the Parliament troops captured a lot of 'Irish' camp followers, and disfigured their faces by slicing their noses.

After the siege of Chester ended the victorious Parliament troops killed a lot of Irish troops who had been part of the defence, literally just executed them.
I am sure that there were similar events on the Royalist side (the massacre at Barthomley Church being one of them) but I do not know of any others.

17th century warfare was a brutal affair, and sometimes things like this happened, Callot was just recording what he saw.

[Mr. Andrea]

even the land aligns with the atrocious scene: no grass (almost), just dryness. That's a nice touch on the dio. Tremendous work!

[Bill Slavin]

I can't really add much more to what others have said about this diorama. Horrific and masterful - and topical. Sadly, we don't have to delve into history to remind ourselves of the brutality and horror of war, in all ages!

[T. Dürrschmidt]

Another masterpiece my friend. For sure it will be a subject for discussions on an exhibition. A friend of mine is very deep into military history, tanks, tactics, wars, maneuvers, weapons etc.....but he avoids "dead figures" and brutality on his (flat figure) dioramas and he hates cruel war films, showing war crimes and so on......I think when you are interested in historical wars (even in a "neat" way with figures), you sometimes must show it´s brutality.

If I am informed, the drawing you made your diorama after shows the execution of "marodeurs", which were soldiers, pushed out of the army because they were not more able to fight after loosing limbs....and these soldiers plundered civilians.

But you are right. There are many evidences (also in my local area) of catholic or protestant troops looting the villages and had their "fun" with the peasants, by torturing and raping them....the horrors of war.

My friend, even it´s "schwere Kost", I am looking forward to see this one at the Dioramica. Extremely well made, like all of your dioramas, with a good "Händchen" for mood and good quality stuff.

[Konrad]

What can i say more?
A very impressive work.

[Ben90]

I agree... MOST impressive!

[Licaón]

Impressive work, Michel. Your diorama is breathtaking for its technical and artistic value, for the fidelity to the reference picture, and for the raw cruelty of the scene. I don't want to sound too emotional, but one can imagine the drama behind this scene, the bitterness, the resignation, the fear and the anger. It is really moving.

How beautiful this world would be if the only wars and its consequences would take place at 1/72 scale, with plastic soldiers.

Great work of art, sir

[stephane42]

Bravo for this diorama which represents a terrifying scene!

[Bluefalchion]

I see the priests are there at the execution site, lending an air of gravitas and legitimacy to the proceedings despite their ostensible task of reading last rites to the doomed...

Truly moving stuff, and very very well done.

[Bessiere]

Like the series by Goya such works help remove the romance of war by displaying the harsh reality of it. While many avoid graphic scenes the faithfulness to original etching serves truth and requires no justification. During America's Vietnam war the actual turning point was the My Lai massacre and other images of civilians caught in the carnage. No war can continue long without public support and in my mind a great work such as Michel's serves that higher purpose most nobly. The cruelties of war have remained very much the same despite the change of centuries and reminds us to temper our passions and try every appeal to reason in pursuit of peace.

[Michel]

Thanks a lot for your amazing words for my diorama.

[Susofrick]

Up to your usual high class/standard. A horrible reminder of what war can be like, just as we get in the news. Sometimes humans are really horrible. And every nation that was involved in this war was guilty of the same horrors (there is another word, but I can't spell atrocities). Am still (after all these years) very fond of your pirate dio with Pippi. It's been a while since we saw something from you. Sincerely hope it won't be as long till we see another one.

[Santi Pérez]

What a unusual and original subject, Michel!

Your 3D diorama is a perfect representation of the picture you have used as a model, but much better than it, full of details, with a wonderful scenery (I love the tree) and a very balanced scene.

My very best congratulations.

Santi.

[Emperor]

Brilliant in every detail, and it presents the horrific truth about the war...The war is suffering and death...

[huib]

Wow, this is really horrible. But very skilfully made. Great work.