That Sweet-sweet Feeling Of Preparations For A Reenactment Event When Youve Officially Joined The Team

That sweet-sweet feeling of preparations for a reenactment event when you’ve officially joined the team 💙

Just a smol insight. I couldn’t resist the temptation. 🤫

Well, well, well. Is it some sort of a happy coincidence that all those old German films about Napoleonic wars are coming out of oblivion right now?

Because I feel obliged as well to make a proper post on another gem of old German cinema featuring Gustaf Gründgens who plays there another prominent Napoleonic historical figure. And believe me, he is even more perfect there than in the “Hundert Tage”. 😉

Would anyone be interested in that small film review, I wonder…

The actor (Gustaf Gründgens) who plays Fouché is hugely compelling. His voice is so insinuating and sly. “Hundert Tage” movie, 1935, on youtube. It’s in German and the English subtitles are useless. I’m watching it anyway.

P.S. The book/movie “Mephisto” was based on Gustaf Grundgens.

Oh, I wanted to read this book one day, naturally, but it seems I’m good without it for now! 😂

I’ve still got plenty of other sources and materials to go through (besides, right now I’m more focused on reading classical literature, since I haven’t had an urge this strong in a long time), so yeeeeah.

However, it would be fun to make full-length reviews on some history books in the future, if I’m able to!

Especially books of that kind. ;)

My newest read. @count-lero, are you familiar with this one?

Even though Metternich’s birthday has passed, I would still love to make some remarks on the piece of artwork I dedicated to him this year.

The first one being that yes, all the people featured there are real historical characters who meant something to him at the most spectacular point of his life. There are field-marshal Schwarzenberg, Wilhelmine von Sagan, his two unfortunate daughters - Maria and Clementine, Friedrich von Gentz and, of course, Monsieur de Talleyrand-Périgord - le Diable boiteux himself. 🥀

And the second one is a close-up of a jewellery that Wilhelmine of Sagan is holding in her hand, since I put a lot of effort into that bracelet despite its insignificance on a scale of the entire work. The design was created without any visual references, though based on a spectacular description from that one book - “Vienna, 1814” - aptly mentioned by @joachimnapoleon in her reblog. :) 💠

I will allow myself to quote the whole passage here, since it’s fascinating in many ways. (However, it’s a translation from English to Russian and then back to English, so I apologise in advance for any inaccuracies in the transmission of original text by David King)

It is probable that on New Year's Eve Metternich was especially lonely and dreary. He tried for the third time to beg the Duchess for a date. "I would hate to spend the first day of the new year, 1815, without seeing you," wrote the prince.

Before the champagne glasses rang, a package from a Viennese jeweler's store was delivered to the Palma Palace. Opening a small satin box, the Duchess found in it a gold bracelet of amazingly fine workmanship, decorated with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and amethysts. In the days of Romanticism each stone had its own symbolism. A diamond and a ruby spoke of love and fidelity; the other two marked birthdays: an amethyst for the Duchess of Sagan, an emerald for Prince Metternich. The messenger brought the package, as ordered by the Prince, "by the stroke of midnight."

Metternich attached a letter to the gift explaining the symbolic meaning of the letter G engraved on each stone: "I would be happy to put this bracelet on your lovely hand myself and say: "Gottgebe Gnade, Gluck, Gedeihen" ("May the Lord send you his blessing, give you prosperity and happiness")."

What Metternich himself did on New Year's Eve is unknown. The poet-songwriter La Garde-Chambona claims that he saw him at the New Year's ball at Count Zichy's, and this is quite possible, although one cannot ignore the young lyricist's tendency to somewhat free handling of dates. It is more likely that the prince, having put down the goose quill and sent the parcel around eleven in the evening, spent the night alone in the office of the state chancellery.

Silk empire style dress with embroidered roses

circa 1800, Napoleonic era

Austrian

Source: The Met

It’s that wonderful time of the year…

When many prominent subjects of emperor Franz celebrate their 200-and-something birthdays! 🇦🇹 ✨

Today is a special day, since it’s the birthday of field-marshal Schwarzenberg, a military man, diplomate and movingly loving husband and father who definitely deserved much more than he got during his lifetime.

We’ve known for two years now, and it was one of the best Napoleonic acquaintances I’ve ever made, for sure. :)