1/9 Tirailleur Senegalais Bust, 1914

[Deleted member 6559]

I've decided to go for something a bit simpler for my next one. This is a 1/9 bust by Belgian Company PiliPili, dating from 2008 (I gather that they are no longer producing military miniatures). It represents a Tirailleur Senegalais, a French colonial trooper in France, 1914. The regiment was initially raised in Senegal, but later recruited in other West African French possessions. 200,000 served on the Western Front, where they suffered heavy casualties:



The bust comes in three parts:



I was pretty disappointed when I opened the box of this and another PiliPili colonial subject I'd ordered at the same time. Both had very poorly finished faces, the other so bad that I binned it - I certainly wouldn't buy more by the same manufacturer. I took a scalpel to this one, and I think I've managed to get it into paintable condition. The torso is fine, very crisply done, and what I do like about the head is that he's depicted with tribal scars, very similar to those found in Benin to this day.

We'll give it a go....

 

[stona]

Tribal marks like that can still be seen across sub-Saharan Africa. I grew up in Nigeria fifty odd years ago and many people still bore them. My late mother took an interest in the marks and made a guide which explained which group (within a tribe) or area the various styles indicated. I wish I could find it! Today, it would probably form the basis of something useful. I still remember a several pages with her sketches showing the different marks of different groups within the Yoruba people.

I wonder what those men thought when they found themselves in the middle of a European war? It would be interesting to know if any of them recorded their experiences.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Hi Steve

I've collected African tribal art for many years and have a number of Yoruba pieces in my collection as well as items from other Nigerian peoples (Igbo, Ibibio, Chamba, Idoma etc). I also lived in Brixton in the 1980s and often saw Yoruba people with facial scars. I'm sure your mother's guide would be very interesting and useful, as you say. This is my Yoruba Ibeji twin figure, with facial scars depicted:



You've got me started now!

 

[Deleted member 6559]

So here's the head:



Despite many hours with the scalpel and sandpaper, I still had to strip this down three times and do some more cleaning up before I could begin to get anywhere. This is the best it's going to get and I can live with the imperfections as 'character'.

The skin was painted with mixtures of Vallejo German Camo Black Brown, Leather Brown and Flat Earth, with Flat Flesh added for highlighting and used unmixed on the brightest highlights.

 

[Richard48]

Hi Peter.
Shame to hear that the quality of the casting is bit below par.Never seen Pilipili kits in the flesh,They did some iteresting stuff,The Senegalese troops were a fearsome bunch i believe.Face looks darn good to me my friend.Be a nice colourful one this one.
Rich.

 

[scottie3158]

beautifully painted but I'm not sure he works for me mate.

 

[JR]

Peter.
Promise not to bin it ! I've just sat down.

 

[Steve Jones]

Don't drop it either! Brought my wicket keeping gloves just in case

 

[stona]

often saw Yoruba people with facial scars.

My mother died quite a few years ago now and we didn't find her guide amongst various other of her projects and artwork. It's a shame, I expect it is lost forever and would have been a good record of the 1960s and early '70s.

Quite late in her life I took her on the London Eye and because she couldn't walk far I parked on one of those occasional car parks which spring up on undeveloped ground and charge you an extortionate sum. As we went in a chap appeared to take our money and before I could even say good afternoon my mother was asking him whether he was a Yoruba man and where he came from. Of course, he was a Yoruba, and I had to interrupt the conversation to ask to park!

As a very young kid in Enugu, before the Biafran war, I spoke quite a bit of the local Ibo dialect, as kids do. There was a saying that the dialects were so varied that an Owerri man could not understand an Onitsha man, they are about 50 miles apart (I think), though this was not literally true. It was not something encouraged by other expats, so I lost it as I grew up, which is sad really. I can still amaze the occasional Nigerian acquaintance by speaking passable pidgin.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Richard - Really disappointed with the quality of this bust, as I always thought PiliPili had a good reputation. The box art is quite rough as a result, which proves it isn't just me.

Scottie - I will finish it, though it's never going to be a favourite.

John - Stay seated!

Stevie J - I won't drop this one - it's a bout a 10th of the weight of the Saxon.

Steve - I've read quite a bit about the tribes of Nigeria, though mainly in connection with their artistic output, and it seems there were thousands of tribes, each divided into sub-tribes and each village with it's own dialect. That helps explain the incredible cultural richness and diversity of the country. You're a lucky man having a connection to all that.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Peter
Looking good. You seem to have sorted the shortcomings.
Jim

 

[Fernando N]

Even with imperfections (which I can’t find) a very nice face Peter

And great of Steve and you to bring up some of the tribes history, learnt a thing today

 

[Lee Drennen]

Peter just got see you then I can see more better now since John has left is social distancing Whirlybird hat at home

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Welcome aboard chaps.

He's looking a bit different this morning:



Come on. you knew I would! I just can't stand a sub-standard face, and it was a back-of-the-cabinet job as it was, which always seems pointless. At least this new head gets the juices flowing.

I didn't have another African head, so now our man's a Tirailleur Marocain of the 2WW:



I've given him a Reedees head and have made a head-cloth from Milliput. The uniform is essentially the same- field dress amongst North African colonial troops was very diverse, mixing elements of pre war French uniforms with native dress. The tunic is now a greatcoat and will be painted khaki, and the head-cloth will be white. I think the face with a dark complexion will look North African enough - there was great ethnic variety amongst these troops anyway.

 

[SteveH]

Morning Peter

Nearly missed this one!

Must be the shock of practising sitting in a room for 4 hours straight!

Your 1st head looked really good, but I know you are a stickler for quality in your heads

Your spares box must look like a busy day with Madame Guillotine!!

Another nice piece of sculpt on the turban too.

Make the most of today it seems the BBC think it will be the only dry day for the next 10!

A'hhh, the full British Summer!

Off to practise again 11-3 today.

Enjoy the new head, with an olive, Mediterranean, Arabic complexion?

Have a good day with the paints

Regards

Steve H

 

[Jason Crausby]

I didn’t see much wrong with the original...I thought you’d captured the look rather well...but I know once you get that nagging feeling there’s only one solution!
Still, the new one looks excellent!
Jason

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Steve - I hope you're enjoying the rest at work! As for this, well, you know me and heads - It's a bit of a crummy bust all round, so needs a bit of help. Bright and sunny here despite the forecast, but the British summer should arrive tomorrow.

Jason - It was the first head's droopy left eye that was getting to me. The new head is looking much better - nearly finished the whole thing in fact. More later......

 

[Deleted member 6559]

One Tirailleur Marocain:



I surprised myself with how quickly this one went, but it is a very simple bust.

 

[Richard48]

Simple but effective mate.Looks nice to me and something different.
Richard.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

thumbs UP from me!