Portrait of an Unknown Soldier

Magpie

Magpie

New member
I originally posted this up on a the General Militaria Discussion board, but I think it might be a little too tucked away there. I hope it's ok to post it up again on this board.

I'm a portrait artist and I collect portraits of strangers, mostly off ebay. I bought this portrait off an ebay seller who tells me he got it from an auction in the east of France, but that’s all he could tell me. From his attire I have ascertained that he is a German WWI soldier, possibly infantry. There's not too much to go on as there aren't that many visible clues.

There is however a curious inscription written in pencil on the the back, which reads:

Dieses Bild malte ein
Kriegskamerad
im Schützengraben
Weltkrieg 1914/18

Whereas I originally translated this as:

Painted this picture of a war friend
in the trenches
World War 1914/18

'911car' tells me that this maybe translates as "A war friend painted this picture in the trenches" which would imply that this is the sitter's actual hand.

I think it's a wonderful portrait. I think the artist is excellent. Not sure if it was actually painted while in situ in the trenches though as it seems too finished. I'd love to know who the sitter is.

I've popped it up on my blog too with my observations up 'til now, if anyone would like to leave a message under it. http://www.amandaclegg.co.uk/11-apr-2015-a-german-soldier/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
While red is the color for artillery in the US Army, in the Prussian Army it is infantry, artillery is a technical branch and I believe its piping is black
 
Hi Magpie,
This is indeed a great portrait.
This one below is more conventional, but identified. The number on his shoulder informs us that Josef was a soldier in the 25th infantry regiment (1 Rheinisches), based in Aachen (Aix la Chapelle). Clotten was a tiny village in the Moselle region.
Oil on canvas.


 
Nice painting! The artist was evidently trained. Not all of the trench systems were 'All Quite on the Western Front' rough, some in the Argonne were quite elaborate and comfortable... as much as a 'home away from home' could be. As is often the case in any war, there are long hours of boredom and it is quite possible that this fellow had some paints and such sent from home. I can't really tell, is it painted on canvas or board? With the lack of wrinkling and some 'dents' I would suspect the latter??? Both canvas and wood could be scrounged from many sites around the trenches, but I think board would perhaps be a more durable choice for an in situ work.

After looking again, if it is board, it looks to be cut and perhaps planed, but that's it. If this were a studio work, I doubt the artist would have used anything but clear, very finished panel to work on. Again, interesting!

:D Ron
 
Hi Ron,

Yes it's painted on wood panel. It is quite pitted in places and not planed smooth.

I didn't realise that about the trenches. I've only ever seen the muddy, uncomfortable ones!
 
Magpie said:
Hi Ron,

Yes it's painted on wood panel. It is quite pitted in places and not planed smooth.

I didn't realise that about the trenches. I've only ever seen the muddy, uncomfortable ones!
Click to expand...

I always think about the rougher trenches too, but in the quieter sectors, there was a LOT of time to do things like this painting. I'd be inclined to think it's trench art... of course, there's no way to prove it unless you found a packing case or something made out of identical wood.

:D Ron
 
b.loree said:
Excellent portraits gentlemen. Thank you for posting.
Click to expand...

OOOHHH Breach of forum etiquette, Magpie is a girl:) and with a name like Amanda, she is no doubt cute too.
 
Gustaf said:
b.loree said:
Excellent portraits gentlemen. Thank you for posting.
Click to expand...

OOOHHH Breach of forum etiquette, Magpie is a girl:) and with a name like Amanda, she is no doubt cute too.
Click to expand...

Well, knock me over with a trench mortar.... you're cute too Gus. :wink:

:D Ron
 
Gustaf said:
b.loree said:
Excellent portraits gentlemen. Thank you for posting.
Click to expand...

OOOHHH Breach of forum etiquette, Magpie is a girl:) and with a name like Amanda, she is no doubt cute too.
Click to expand...


Haha, easy mistake to make, can I be sexist and guess you don't get many ladies on here?
 
Magpie said:
Gustaf said:
b.loree said:
Excellent portraits gentlemen. Thank you for posting.
Click to expand...

OOOHHH Breach of forum etiquette, Magpie is a girl:) and with a name like Amanda, she is no doubt cute too.
Click to expand...


Haha, easy mistake to make, can I be sexist and guess you don't get many ladies on here?
Click to expand...

Not a lot, but some. Like military collecting, it's mostly men, with some very knowledgeable women in the mix. For example, my wife got into tank driving because of me and worked hard to learn about the vehicles. By the time we stopped volunteering, she was as good a driver and could 'talk tanks' with all but the most expert men... like her husband. :wink:
I think that everybody who has an interest and can contribute is welcome.

:D Ron
 
My apologies for the faux pas Amanda, great to have you with us! A little female input here will help dilute the testosterone level. :)
 
911car said:
Hi Magpie,
This is indeed a great portrait.
This one below is more conventional, but identified. The number on his shoulder informs us that Josef was a soldier in the 25th infantry regiment (1 Rheinisches), based in Aachen (Aix la Chapelle). Clotten was a tiny village in the Moselle region.
Oil on canvas.


Click to expand...

Hi Bruno,

I´m confused...
I searched in the "Verlustlisten" and found only one Josef Adams from Clotten near Cochem.
He was in the JR29 "von Horn" (3. Rheinisches) and died during the fights between 16 and 28.2.1915.
He was in the III bataillon, 9. Kompanie.

Here is the page # 5419 where he is mentioned:

http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/1649478" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And the page # 5418 with name of his unit:

http://files.genealogy.net/verlustlisten/05418.jpeg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Philippe
 
I may think that the number on the shoulder is 29.
And I am also thinking that the date 17. Juni 1915 is not the date of death but the date of this portrait.

If Josef died on the 17.6.15, the german correct grammatical form should have been:

"Jos. Adams aus Clotten, am 17. Juni 1915 in Frankreich fürs Vaterland gefallen"

Philippe
 
.


Hi Bruno,

I´m confused...

Hello Philippe,
If you are confused, I am impressed! Fantastic how you managed to track poor Josef.
I looked again at the original and it looks like 25 but I may be wrong. Perhaps it is indeed 29. Which should make sense; Trier, where JR29 was stationed, is even closer to Klotten than Aachen.
Regarding the date I do not know. The artist most likely painted the picture after a photograph, after Josef's death, but why would have he written the date in such a prominent way, if it was not that of the death?
Simply a mistake, perhaps?
Anyway thank you so much. That's great.
Bruno
 
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