"Russia - Akhtyrsk "Brown" or "Chestnut"" Topic
5 Posts
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Widowson | 13 Apr 2014 7:52 p.m. PST |
The Akhtyrsk Hussars wore brown dolmans and pelisses straight through the uniform changes that affected many of the Russian hussar regiments. Brown, like so many colors, has nearly infinite varieties and different shades. I've seen an illustration showing a very dark and rich brown color. I've also seen painted figures with a "golden brown" shade of "chestnut," like the color of horses so named. Both Osprey and, I believe Viskovatov, refer to the color as "chestnut," but what does that really mean? Russian language translation is a tricky business, subject to interpretation. I want to build this unit of hussars, and want them to look beautiful. But I also want a degree of accuracy. Can any of the Russian reading membership offer some light on this subject? |
xxxxxxx | 14 Apr 2014 6:26 a.m. PST |
Widowson, The Russian word for the color is коричневый / korichnevyy / brown . The word for the color derives from the word корица / koritsa / cinnamon (bark) . I like this source best for the new, un-faded color as worn by an officer (who might have been wearing better quality than the troopers)
. Planche from L. Kiel (1815) link But here are some more, some which may better represent a shade that the uniforms had after some fading, or if made to lower quality
. From an original by A. Orlovskiy (1814) – look on the right of the image
Parkaev card (modern)
Late 19th Centry painting
Museum example
The Russian word for a "chestnut" horse is гнедой / gnedoy
. but the description of the body of such a horse can be given as "коричневого окраса различных оттенков", meaning "various shades of brown color", where "brown" is the same word as for the uniform color. The word гнедой / gnedoy was imported from Ukrainian гнiдий / gnidiy (presumably with the horses themselves!), and has various West-Slavic cognates in Czech, Slovak and Polish – but there is no consensus on the original etymology. - Sasha |
Widowson | 14 Apr 2014 11:43 a.m. PST |
Sasha, Many thanks. It seems that most sources show the lighter brown as indicated by your examples, above. The Kiel illustration does show a richer, darker color. I guess I'll have to think it over before settling on the color I want to use. |
xxxxxxx | 15 Apr 2014 3:55 a.m. PST |
Widowson, Another good one
. Klein – troopers drawn from life in 1814/1815, but colored a little later (and the link is actually to a copy of the original, but should be very close anyway): link Note the lance pennant. In 1812/early 1813, the regiment was noted for using Polish lance pennants as a "false flag" to confuse the enemy. - Sasha P.S. – The name was not really "Akhtyrsk"
. -- pre-bolshevik spelling : Ахтырскiй гусарскій полк -- modern spelling : Ахтырский гусарсктй полк -- tranliterated for English-speakers : Akhtyrskiy gusarskiy polk -- translated : Akhtyrka hussar regiment The regiment was named for the small city in Sumy oblast near the Russian border now called (unless Russia annexed it earlier today) in Ukrainian "Охтирка". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okhtyrka |
xxxxxxx | 15 Apr 2014 4:19 a.m. PST |
Widowson, Hmmmm
. here are two paintings done in the 1820's of senior officers of the regiment, again it appears that new un-faded officers' uniforms might have been a small bit darker/richer in color than many of the representations of the troopers' uniforms in actual service The regiment's shef 1803-1814, general-major (promoted general-lieutenant in October 1812) and general-adjudant Illarion Vasil'evich Vasil'chikov-1 (1776-1847)
The regiment's commander 1811-1815, colonel (promoted general-major in December 1812) Dmitriy Vasil'evich Vasil'chikov-2 (1778-1859)
- Sasha |
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