Our Notes & References

Imposing folio with dozens of superb full-page lithographs in colour of Russian army uniforms: “luxurious edition […] a great rarity complete” (Solovev).

First edition. A complete copy with wide margins, preserving an original wrapper in a signed binding, with great provenance: from Napoleon III’s Imperial Library.

The work, dedicated to Tsar Nicholas I, consists of two numbered series of plates, here intermixed. The first series includes plates showing details of Russian military insignia, standards, decorations, weapons, and orders of battle. The second series comprises almost 60 coloured plates, of which the first five show portraits of the Russian Emperor and his four sons (the plates of Nicholas I and Crown Prince Alexander Nikolaevich are signed in facsimile). The remainder illustrate the diversity of Russian military uniform, from the Cossacks to the Imperial Guard, showing soldiers in a pleasing variety of poses and landscapes, mounted and on foot.

Charles-Pierre Victor Pajol (1812-91) was the son of a Napoleonic general who led a cavalry corps against the Russians in 1812. He himself fought the Russians as a cavalry officer during the Crimean War, and was promoted to divisional general in 1870. Count Pajol was also known as a sculptor and the author of works on military history.

It is interesting to note that this work, celebrating the Russian army, was published by a French officer in France while his country had just fought Russia in the Crimean war; it is dedicated to Tsar Nicholas I, but appeared after his death. This is because Pajol’s illustrations for Armée Russe were the product of a mission back in 1841, when he was sent to Russia as a foreign military observer – although more recent history could also be reflected: e.g., the illustrations of military orders include one of a medal for the Defence of Sevastopol (dating from the siege of that city in 1854-55, a year before the publication of Pajol’s book).

The post-Napoleonic Russian uniforms that are the main focus of this opus arguably represent the ornamental peak of European military dress, reflecting a time when French styles were already evolving towards the subdued practicality that is characteristic of contemporary undress uniform.

Pajol’s album was highly sought after from the moment of its publication: Brunet and Deschamps in their Manuel du libraire et de l’amateur de livres (1863) note that Armée Russe was originally offered for 125 francs, “mais comme l’édition est épuisée et qu’il en reste peu d’exemplaires en France, on les paye aujourd’hui 200 fr. et plus”; and Solovev’s catalogue of bibliographic rarities cites an impressive price of 275 roubles.

Provenance

Bibliothèque Impériale (gilt ‘N’ monogram with Imperial crown and wreath of laurels and oak to spine, library stamp “BIBLIOTH. IMPÉRIALE EST” at bottom margin of plates; deaccession stamp “B.N. éch. 1976” on title page and verso of most plates). “Bibliothèque Impériale” was the name given to the national library of France during the Second Empire, under Napoleon III.

Bibliography

Not in Cat. Russica. Brunet IV, 311; Colas 2260 (giving incorrect details of the pages in part 1); Hiler p. 683 (8 plates only); Lipperheide Qo12 (incomplete copy); Vinet 2328; Bobins 208; Solovev kat. 105, No.96.