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Rating: 
Summary: A Valuable Reference Work
Review: An important source of 19th century military history is the beautifully illustrated, two-volume work, L'Armée Française, produced in 1883 by the renowned military artist Edouard Detaille, with text by Jules Richard. Through his remarkably detailed and beautiful artwork, Detaille has rendered a compelling look at this most dramatic era of warfare dominated by the French art of war, military organisation and uniform styles. This classic work has been known for over a century in its French edition and is now translated into English for the first time. This lavish reprint contains the entire two-volume translation, and is richly illustrated throughout with Detaille's original published artwork depicting accurate portrayals of uniforms and military life. The book has been further embellished with an additional full-colour section displaying other works by the artist.Contains the entire translation plus over 300 illustrations from the original artwork by the military artist, and gives background information on regimental histories, army organizations, recruitment, training, battledress and equipment.L'Armée Française is the only military history book of its kind, giving background information on regimental histories, army organisations, recruitment, training, battle dress and equipment of the soldiers of France. It is a guide to the French armies that fought in the Napoleonic Wars, Crimean War, the Mexican Expedition, the Conquest of North Africa, and the Franco-Austrian and Franco-Prussian Wars, as well as a contemporary look at peacetime army in the late 19th century.No one can make a serious study of military history without becoming familiar with the wars fought by the armies of France.
Rating:
Summary: A Valuable Reference Work
Review: An important source of 19th century military history is the beautifully illustrated, two-volume work, L'Armée Française, produced in 1883 by the renowned military artist Edouard Detaille, with text by Jules Richard. Through his remarkably detailed and beautiful artwork, Detaille has rendered a compelling look at this most dramatic era of warfare dominated by the French art of war, military organisation and uniform styles. This classic work has been known for over a century in its French edition and is now translated into English for the first time. This lavish reprint contains the entire two-volume translation, and is richly illustrated throughout with Detaille's original published artwork depicting accurate portrayals of uniforms and military life. The book has been further embellished with an additional full-colour section displaying other works by the artist.Contains the entire translation plus over 300 illustrations from the original artwork by the military artist, and gives background information on regimental histories, army organizations, recruitment, training, battledress and equipment.L'Armée Française is the only military history book of its kind, giving background information on regimental histories, army organisations, recruitment, training, battle dress and equipment of the soldiers of France. It is a guide to the French armies that fought in the Napoleonic Wars, Crimean War, the Mexican Expedition, the Conquest of North Africa, and the Franco-Austrian and Franco-Prussian Wars, as well as a contemporary look at peacetime army in the late 19th century.No one can make a serious study of military history without becoming familiar with the wars fought by the armies of France.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Illustrations!
Review: The Impressionists are the most famous French Art Movement of the late 19th Century. At about the same time, France was also producing a great school of historical painters and illustrators. Edouard Detaille in my opinion was the greatest historical painter/illustrator of the 19th Century. Do not buy L'Armee Francaise for the text. It is an English translation of stilted and heavily baroque 19th Century French. However, the illustrations are simply amazing! This is one of my favorite books.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Illustrations!
Review: The Impressionists are the most famous French Art Movement of the late 19th Century. At about the same time, France was also producing a great school of historical painters and illustrators. Edouard Detaille in my opinion was the greatest historical painter/illustrator of the 19th Century. Do not buy L'Armee Francaise for the text. It is an English translation of stilted and heavily baroque 19th Century French. However, the illustrations are simply amazing! This is one of my favorite books.
Rating:
Summary: An Indispensable Reference
Review: This book is superb. Profusely illustrated by French artist Eduard Detaille, it covers the French Army from 1790-1885, describing in great detail the combat arms, staff, schools, gendarmerie, the navy, and the 'bric a brac' of the arms and services.There are numerous tables of commanders of units and orders of battle, and the text is comprehensive; trying to keep up with its pace is like being force fed with a firehose. Quite simply, it gives an amazing amount of detail is what is actually quite a small space. There are both color and black and white illustrations, and they definitely have the look and feel of the 'smell of gunpowder.' Detaille was one of the best military artists of all time, and this book shows of his work perfectly. Having seen the original volumes in French, this translation and edition have lost nothing in the trasition. The detail and minutiae are amazing, from the formation of the not-properly-sanctioned 15th Cuirassier Regiment in Hamburg by Marshal Davout in 1813 to the conquest of Algeria, this volume has much information that was not available before in English. It is a definite must for the military historian. Much of the book is about the French Armies of the Revolution and Napoleon's Grande Armee, which is fine with me, as it is my favorite period. You can ride once again with the cavalry of the Empire, work those terrible guns of the Imperial Guard that tore allied armies to pieces, or sweat in the ranks with the infantry of the line (infanterie du ligne) as they go on just one more forced march into the thunderous hell that was combat in the Napoleonic period. Highly recommended and you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: An Indispensable Reference
Review: This book is superb. Profusely illustrated by French artist Eduard Detaille, it covers the French Army from 1790-1885, describing in great detail the combat arms, staff, schools, gendarmerie, the navy, and the 'bric a brac' of the arms and services. There are numerous tables of commanders of units and orders of battle, and the text is comprehensive; trying to keep up with its pace is like being force fed with a firehose. Quite simply, it gives an amazing amount of detail is what is actually quite a small space. There are both color and black and white illustrations, and they definitely have the look and feel of the 'smell of gunpowder.' Detaille was one of the best military artists of all time, and this book shows of his work perfectly. Having seen the original volumes in French, this translation and edition have lost nothing in the trasition. The detail and minutiae are amazing, from the formation of the not-properly-sanctioned 15th Cuirassier Regiment in Hamburg by Marshal Davout in 1813 to the conquest of Algeria, this volume has much information that was not available before in English. It is a definite must for the military historian. Much of the book is about the French Armies of the Revolution and Napoleon's Grande Armee, which is fine with me, as it is my favorite period. You can ride once again with the cavalry of the Empire, work those terrible guns of the Imperial Guard that tore allied armies to pieces, or sweat in the ranks with the infantry of the line (infanterie du ligne) as they go on just one more forced march into the thunderous hell that was combat in the Napoleonic period. Highly recommended and you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A Treasured Volume
Review: This is one of my favorite books in my Library. It is a feast for the eyes, laying out sketches and illustrations that are unmatched anywhere else. As a Professional Army Officer and historian, this book also lays out, in detail, the very essence of the French Army during these times. This book runs the gauntlet from being a coffee table book, to a real resource for true military historians.
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