The square-topped cap, tall boots and upright rifle identify a Polish cavalry subject on foot. It is a useful starting point for correcting the persistent cartoon of lancers blindly charging tanks.
The feather bonnet, tartan and bagpipes make this one of the most elaborate silhouettes in the Del Prado First World War group. It is a musician’s portrait, with the instrument and clothing carrying a story different from that of a rifleman.
The feathered hat and walking staff make this Italian soldier instantly different from the desert subjects. The Alpini sergeant brings mountain service, movement and terrain into the Del Prado collection.
The binoculars are in her hands while the rifle remains slung. Del Prado’s female sniper therefore shows a stage of the job that a firing pose would miss: looking, judging and waiting.
A steel helmet and grenade-laden equipment identify a different phase of the First World War from the marching Pickelhaube figures. This stormtrooper subject makes the development of specialised assault methods visible in one standing miniature.
The drawn dagger and carried explosives make this Italian subject different from an ordinary rifleman. Del Prado’s assault engineer brings the practical and dangerous work of approaching obstacles into a North African collection.
The covered fez, bandolier and blue puttees give this Egyptian sergeant a distinctive appearance. His standing pose is useful for studying a desert-service uniform without allowing the animal to dominate the subject.
Del Prado presents Guynemer standing in uniform with his hands in his pockets. The relaxed pose gives a famous aviator a human scale and allows the story to move beyond a tally of victories.
The white kepi is familiar, but the submachine gun and field clothing place this legionnaire firmly after the world wars. The 1957 setting belongs to the Algerian War and deserves its own historical category.
The slouch hat gives this Australian sergeant an immediate national identity, but the date and theatre take the story beyond Gallipoli. This is a figure for the Australian Imperial Force’s fighting in Europe during the final year of the war.
