A souvenir from Muzillac?

[anteros_lmc]

This charming ornamental piece is currently being auctioned my Charles Miller Ltd. It’s described as “a French prisoner-of-war-style bone and wood model guillotine with bound and shackled victim lashed to a table, with detachable head mechanism corresponding with blade, supported on a strawwork base with glass dome cover.” The piece is expected to

Comments

[anteros_lmc]

I think you're absolutely right. I know French POW pieces and scrimshaw work by serving British seamen come up at auction frequently and are very collectible. (There's a beautiful French made bone ship in Culzean Castle) But I have never seen anything made by a British POW. From what I've read, it sounds like they are all too busy trying to escape. It's impossible to imagine that prisoners at Bitche had the inclination to create art. But having said that, I suspect that conditions on board the British prison hulks were scarecely less grim. And art can certainly be used to transcend captivity and suffering.

I have just acquired two books that may shed some light on this,when ever I get round to reading them. One is an account by Louis Garneray, French marine artist and privateer, of the eight years he spent confined on the Portsmouth prison hulks from 1806 - 1814. And I also have an overview of all the British prisoners held in France from 1803 - 1814, which includes a list of name, rank and fate of all officer-class naval and military POW's and détenus. A quick scan through the index reveals several artists among the détenus at Verdun but I think they should be considered quite separately from the naval and military POWs. If you're interested I can let you know more once I've read the books.

[eglantine_br]

I would like that. Prison hulks...blegh! They freak me out especially somehow. I can see from my dog-walking park, (across the street from me, basically,) where Americans were held on the 'Jersey.' Apparently, once the war had ended bones washed up for years.

[anteros_lmc]

I know what you mean, grim as Bitche clearly was, there is something nightmarish about the prison hulks. Makes me shiver to think of them.

I hadn't heard of the Jersey before. Did some digging and it sounds horrendous :/