"Painting 7YW exotic General staff characters – need help" Topic

I'm planning to paint a stand of a Prussian generals command. It will be H.R.H. Prince Charles (a cousin of Frederick ?) I have this wonderful scene of the battle of Hochkirch, Oct 1758 in mind. H.R.H. was seen in the front line in company of his befitting Garde d'Honneur consisting of a command of the Garde du Corps AND his groom or servant. All others of his otherwise numerous escort had preferred to stay in more safer areas that morning, as it was noted. Now this groom happened to be a black or "moor" named Pietro and was "not afraid of bomb-shells" as he proudly claimed on receiving my eyewitness as they met.
Now I have trouble to imagine how Pietro would have been dressed. He only joined Charles "household" in 1756. He was part of the "booty" with the Saxon surrender at Pirna. I should think very likely in livrée of the house of Brandenbourg (black-silver-orange it was as I could trace) but how much exotic/oriental flavour should or can be added?
I could do a conversion by using a Bosniak officer, remove all weapons and make him Pietro, or, I could use an ordinary western style dressed figure, and merely exchange the heads, giving Pietro just a Bosniaks turban as distinction. Or may be no oriental elements at all. After all, H.R.S. was a French Reformed protestant or Calvinist – and worse than that he was a Prussian above all, which should call for grey coat with grey facings, grey buttons and everything else also grey to my imagination. Now, what should I decide on?
Unsure here – any suggestions? Possibly backed by reference from the way nobility in Britain and France dealt with this issue.

Thanks,
Christian

Call for DAF!

Frederick's Prussia was pretty liberal minded in religion.. base him on George I's two Turkish kammerdienst..Moorish costume..turbans..these people were novelties and seem to be dressed as such. The Bosniak seems fine..you could even get a flamboyant turkish figure..

Turban, flowing shirt, open jacket, translucent harem pants, a codpiece, lots of eye makeup.

This is mere speculation, but Front Rank has a blackamoor musician in its SYW or Jacobite Rebellion range in the cavalry and he is wearing the musicians' livery, i.e. normal regimental uniform.

So assuming that Pietro was going to wear regimentals, then I would try to check out which regiment HRH Charles was in and use that.

Another possibility is to use the Prussian adjutants' uniform and go with black face or a head swap (assuming that you use Front Rank figures) for Pietro.

A third possibility is to use one of the Bosniak figures and go with blackface.

I think I recall that Foundry has some Bosniaks in their von Kleist Freikorps figures (uhlans).

Other than that, your guess is as good as mine on this one.

Fritz

moor is a pretty loose term in the 18th C..probably a Turk taken a slave in the Turkenkrieg ,as I said these people were extraordinary novelties, status symbols and I seriously doubt they would dress them in European style..the more exotic the better..well Eastern /Turkish..

Old Glory has a Negro servant in turban in their Pirate Range:
link

(I will provide more information about the other figures not included in the photo for you in a few hours.)

Christian,

People are suggesting Front Rank, Old Glory, etc. but as I recall your blog has to do with gaming the 7YW with 30mm flats. Will these be flat figures or round ?

Steve

Very good, Cardinal. And I guess Christian does paint flats so I won't bother looking for my Governor's set.

ah Andy I am only trying to match your legendary skills of research

this kammerdiener is available from Traditon as I recall..I painted him for my mate Starkadder.

Otherwise -and perhaps easily available in 'flat'- a Napoleonic Mameluke, of course specially Roustam link would fit if given a black skin.

Turqueries were excessively fashionable, then.

On the military front, re. the influence of Ottoman military music on European bands (cymbals, 'jingle johnny'… often played by turbaned Blacks).

Thanks to you all. You have been very helpful. And, yes, I do paint flats. Just returned from Kulmbach miniatures fair. Kammerdieners on horseback were hard to find. Believe me I searched hard. I managed to get a Bosniak officer – and even better, I found a great looking officer of what appears to be some Osman cavalry. Charming turban. Looks wonderful. His gesture might be a tad too majestic for a kammerdiener, but he sure isn't afraid of bomb shells. I only need to remove the saber and carve away most of the rather excessive saddle gears. Man, that horse is literally covered with tassels. I think he will be my choice for Pietro.

Thank you again. Great images / reference you provided.
Christian

I think I found the reference.
link
This is H.R.H. prince Charles. Painting dated 1739, so , the moor isn't Pietro, but now at least I have the direction on how to paint him. I should imagine our kammerdiener wears some sort of Kaftan/mantle on this cold October morning 1758.

Wow! A spectacular dress -and I'm not referring to the Moor.
Was H.R.H. prince Charles member of some knightly Order? Not only because of the cross on the cloak: high dignitaries of the Knights of Malta wore that kind of feathered… hat?

He Was "Herrenmeister" of the Order of St. John.
See:
link