empathry

The author is Magali Theron, the thesis (written on paper) has never been scanned, is dated 2003, and is referenced under # BUT 5735, stored at Bibliothèque Serpente (which belongs to the Sorbonne Institute). It's summary is translated as follows : << It was from 1668 onwards, at Colbert's instigation, that the State took a real interest in ship decoration. The profusion and luxury of these painted and sculpted ornaments were intended to "radiate the magnificence" of the king on the sea, and to serve as propaganda. Colbert entrusted Charles le Brun with the task of designing the decorations for first-rank ships, so that he could develop new decorative systems. This involvement of the first painter gave rise to three sumptuous decors that marked the evolution of naval ornamentation in France, and led to the creation of painting and sculpture workshops in the arsenals, whose influence was ensured by the appointment of renowned artists such as Pierre Puget. By giving freedom of enterprise to artists from all horizons, the arsenals encouraged exchanges and became, at least until the end of the Regency, artistic hotbeds, where influences mingled. >>

Your curved profiles are really smart Haiiaphnk, they remember me the basics of geometry ! I am presently inquiring upon a thesis which name is " French king's vessels sculpted and painted ornaments, from 1660 to 1792 " and it appears that a paper sample is stored at the Sorbonne library in Paris. I'm not anymore a student and will need to find for a pass to go there and examine it !

Hello James, as the Endeavour is not a really complicated model, maybe could you purchase another kit (from Artesania Latina), and from the kit, pick up all the (allready finished) pieces you need for your restauration and do it yourself ? It will cost you a minimum doing this way !

Everyone knows (a minima) each other in the ship model-building world, and Michel helped me, for many years, a lot with his very pertinent and historic well-informed advices. The only thing I didn't know about him (as he was a very discreet person) was that we both studied at exactly the same school, and that I have just learnt it here, on the MSW forum !

Alexandr, you have really solved as a master this thorny problem concerning the difference of thickness of the ivory keys ! It's a real pleasure to follow here your adventures whilst your sanding/planer is (alltogether) simple and ingenious !

Martes is judiciously pointing out that historically, it clearly shows that portholes can directly be inserted into the "bouteilles". Then, would it be appropriate to have (a) the gunport hidden behind a false window as shown for this Italian built Ambitieux IF you can manage (easily and without distording too much the bouteilles) to set the right window panel there ... or (b) simply represented by a square cutout IF it's too difficult to position the gunport adequately. What do you think of it so far ?

About this drawing of the vessel Le Prompt : it's written : << Représentation des Vaisseaux construits par ordre de Louis XIV, roy de France, sous le ministère de Jean-Baptiste Colbert, marquis de Seguelay, sur les dessins de Charles Lebrun, premier peintre du roy. Dessinez et mesurez exactement par Jean Berain >>. Which means that the drawing by itself is drawn by Charles Lebrun, in his quality (privilege) of First painter of the King ... whilst this (same) drawing is anyhow checked and measured by Jean Berain. Yes, we are presently really living a fantastic investigation ... that maybe Boudriot has even not implemented.

Thanks to Martes, we clearly see now how those _____ 15 x 2 cannons of the 2n battery are positioned ! Le Prompt (by Berain) being very similar to the Fulminant.

For chase guns, in reality, only 2 can be placed (and not 4 even if there are 4 portholes) because of riggings.

This is a remarkable work but I would anyway point out another important concern dealing with the slope (not the aesthetic but the naval engineer's point of view) : as the Fulminant is commonly said to be overgunned, if you have an additional porthole to pierce through the hull ... and which goes (in fine) through a lateral window of the gallery, it's height should be 100 % compatible with the one of the a.m. 2nd battery (mid deck) ! The slope of the Berain drawing is NOT an engineer naval plan but an aesthetic drawing which aim is (partially) bootlicking Louis XIV eyes !

Hello ; how fascinating is this original Fulminant's drawings 're-discovery' ! Does anybody here possesses the Magali Théron thesis (a copy) which name is " L'ornementation sculptée et peinte des vaisseaux du roi 1660 - 1792 " ... which, once translated means : " King's vessels sculpted and painted ornaments, from 1660 to 1792 ". As it is quoted 1792 while king Louis XVI lost his head on january 21 st, 1793... I suppose (logically) that non new vessel launching occurred during this cold month of january 1793, the reason of which Magali Théron's thesis stops year 1792 (lol) ! ... and answering HAIIAPHNK questionings about the upper part of the dome (are there possible argument 'pro' 3D for the upper part of the dome ?). We have a set of three drawing which most important use is to get the King's approval (and signature) for the construction of a new vessel. Maybe shouldn't we think as XXI th century modelist, trying to wring out the maximum information we can get from those drawings, but as XVII th century courtisans, which aim is to please the King and the King's eyes ! as Hubac's historian is clearly pointing out that there is no necessarily a strong coherence between the rear and the side drawings, the upper part of the dome should probably be flat (2D), notwithstanding the beautiful (and maybe only aesthetic) shades we may observe on the right part of the drawing. Moreover (and this is my personal argument), to believe that a real (large) window situated here would be a dangerous structural heresy for the hull of the vessel. Please note that for the mid-deck 2nd battery, Ambitieux launched 1691 had thirty 18 pounder guns while Ambitieux launched 1692 (as Boudriot’s described it) had only 28. I am then 'pro' thinking that there was an additional porthole at the 2nd battery level.

Always to the summum Gaetan ! If you are using (or intending to use) ebony wood on your model, did you think about old piano keys ? There are now a lot of vintage XIX th century pianos which are going to the dumpster (this is a pity) ! I hope it helps.

Another sculpture of a (dying) lion ; this one has been wounded by an arrow. It's written (on the sculpture's basement) : "Helvetiorum fidei ac virtuti" I suppose this is for remembering a battle where Swiss soldats or mercenaries have mostly been killed, but not surrender. I do not know more about it, there is no date written on.

Bravo Savo ! You can be proud of your carving dexterity !

Dear Alexey ; something else I appreciate is your philosophic point of view about life ! I wish you the best Alexey, for a great continuation of all those wonderful visible things you are doing with your hands, and also all the invisible things which are brighting in the inner yourself (внутри твоей души) ! Eric

Hallo Beckmann ; Laufbohle is "caillebotis" in french and "duckboard" in english ... but i am using an electronic translator and maybe it could be wrong ! Ebony cannot be bent but is as strong as metal => can be put into a milling machine for making the duckboard pieces. Cheers, Empathry

Halo Beckmann ; I have been very interested in your brilliant idea for the ivory laser cutting. I myself have got some ivory (and also the ebony) from the keys of an ancient piano. If you need some more, it will be with pleasure ! ... and what about Laufbohle in ebony ? Would it be a possible idea ? MFG, Empathry

Gaëtan ; all your photos are really splendid and I wish to ask you (but you may have already answered those kind of questions) : What type of camera ? What focal lenght ? What speed ? What diaphragm ? Cheers (from France) Empathry !

I feel it's a pity that you have not preferred oxydize your cannons instead of painting them !

Une vraie "cathédrale" de bois ! Un chef-d'oeuvre !

By the way Cri-cri, within the documentation you already have concerning the Confederacy 1778, did you got the 3 following reviews : SHIPS IN SCALE Volume V - N° 3 dated may/june 1994 where you can read about the construction of a dockyard model of the Confederacy 1778 (pages 34 to 42) Volume V - N° 4 dated july/august 1994 " " (pages 50 to 56) Volume V - N° 5 dated sept/october 1994 " " (pages 48 to 55) Que le bon vent te porte ! 😏

Nice post Cri-cri ; it's a great job (c'est du beau boulot) !

The basis for this theory I had proposed in the a.m. topic "for the calculation of the scales on ancient plans" is extensively described on Duhamel de Monceau' Préface, page fifteen (xv). Other instructive topics to read are the relative effects of 36 pounder cannons v/s 24 pounders ! 😉

Dear Gaëtan ; I know am a new-bee in this forum. I started hereto a topic for the calculation of the scales on ancient plans, directly based on Duhamel de Monceau recomendations. Accordingly, I also gave a link for the "Elemens de l'architecture navale" edited circa M.DCC.LII (1752) avec approbation & privilège du Roi, as follows : http://www.babordnum.fr/viewer/show/648#page/n297/mode/1up I suppose that you will be one of the few persons in this forum to have the satisfaction to read it "in the text" ... Please Gaëtan, take a new pleasure by reading it again ! Empathry