Del Prado Marie-Louise Conscript 1814: The 82nd Line Infantry Recruit

Del Prado · Napoleonic Wars · France, 1814

“Marie-Louise” on this figure’s label refers to a conscript, not the empress herself. The plain coat and modest equipment give Del Prado’s 1814 recruit a very different character from the decorated veterans of the Guard.

Understanding the nickname

The nickname “Marie-Louises” was applied to the conscripts of the 1813 and 1814 classes, whose conscription decrees were signed by the empress acting as regent during Napoleon’s absence. The term should not be read as proof of one exact age. It identifies a group associated with the army’s later recruiting demands.

The figure reference specifies the 82nd Line Infantry and the year 1814. Those details make a clear catalog identity. They do not supply a personal biography or show that the anonymous recruit fought in a particular engagement.

A deliberately ordinary appearance

The photograph shows a long, plain dark coat, low headgear and light lower legs. A strap crosses the chest, while a small dark container hangs from one hand. The arms stay close to the body. There is little of the height or bright ornament that makes a Guard figure immediately conspicuous.

That plainness is the model’s strength. It introduces a different experience of military service into a collection, allowing the viewer to compare a newly raised infantry subject with officers and long-established elite formations.

Small details to preserve

Look carefully at the hand-held container, its handle and the coat hem. A repair here may be harder to see than damage to a tall plume. Ask for a rear view of the straps and check the cap edge for chips.

Give this recruit a position near the front of a display. His subdued colours can disappear behind brighter subjects. Placing an Old Guard figure nearby creates a useful comparison in costume and presentation, provided the labels preserve each model’s separate date and identity.

Record the longer identification in your inventory even if the display label needs to be shorter. “Marie-Louise” alone is easy to misread when separated from the figure. Adding “conscript” and “82nd Line” makes future searches more productive and preserves the reason this unassuming subject earned a place in the collection.

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