IMPERIAL GUARD INFANTRY FIRST EMPIRE: STRASBOURG SOLDIERS FIGURINE MADE OF PAINTED CARDBOARD by the WURTZ family, second half of the 19th century, around 1815-1848. Catalog number 31156-5.

IMPERIAL GUARD INFANTRY FIRST EMPIRE: STRASBOURG SOLDIERS CARDBOARD FIGURINE gouache by the WURTZ family, second half of the 19th century, circa 1815-1848. 31156-5

Conscript, Orphan, Young Guard. Five foot soldiers, H from base of the base to eye level 8.5 cm.
Mounted on a wooden base.

France.
First half of the 19th century.
Good condition.

PROVENANCE:
Former Wurtz-Peés collection, then Saint-Aubin, and private collection.
Mr. Marcel Saint-Aubin was a collector who became an antiquarian between the two World Wars. To my knowledge, no biography or article has ever been published about this personality who is nevertheless well-known among collectors and frequently cited in the provenance of historical objects, often of great quality. Therefore, I will open my archives to shed more light on this great connoisseur:
"Mobilized during the First World War along with his brother in the infantry, the latter was killed at Verdun. Both shared the same passion for military memorabilia; they both drew and published their drawings in the magazine 'La Giberne' before 1914.
After the war, he settled as an antiquarian. In 1926, he lived at 108 rue de Ménilmontant (Paris 20th), far from the traditional antiquarian districts. His choice focused on the specialty that had attracted him for a long time: military curiosities. The spark that directed him towards this specialty came from his first find: a Consulate light cavalry officer's sword, his first beautiful sword; he called it his 'good luck charm' and always kept it.
The profession of antiquarian allowed Saint-Aubin to see and possess these cherished objects for a temporary period. A discerning connoisseur, he never made a mistake, and his clients benefited from his expertise. A passionate researcher, everything he discovered in his life was remarkably varied. Silent and modest, he had a skill and manner that left an indelible memory among the collectors who knew him.
Like most dealers of military objects from that period, Marcel Saint-Aubin did not have a store. He received clients in his apartment, where few items were displayed, taking up only temporary space. Generally, like Paul Jean, he would fetch the items he wanted to sell from the neighboring room and present them often without saying anything, with a slight smile, or if the item presented was truly exceptional, he would simply say in a calm voice, 'It's top-notch.'
In June 1940, during the occupation, he left for Guingamp. He returned to Paris and resettled at the end of 1951 in the house he had purchased, 16 rue Henri Pape in the 13th arrondissement, once again, very far from the antique dealer district.
Marcel Saint-Aubin passed away at the age of 83, leaving with him the esteem of all who knew him, unanimously leaving behind the memory of a man with great moral values."

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
The Strasbourg soldiers are cardboard figurines, commonly known as "flat" soldiers, cut from rigid cardboard. In most cases, these soldiers are drawn and then printed in sheets for easier multiplication.
Christian Blondieau, in his book 'Petits soldats de plomb, d'étain, de papier, de carton ... 1765-1965 - Le guide du collectionneur' Editions Le Képi Rouge Paris 1996, specifies that with cardboard soldiers:
"[...] unlike paper soldiers mainly intended for children, often colored in a clumsy manner, cardboard soldiers are designed for adults and provide a guarantee of high uniformological precision, which serves as the basis for our modern documentation... Why are the Alsace little soldiers referenced? Because they were mostly created by eyewitnesses of the time or their descendants, and are often contemporary to the period they represent. During the wars of the Revolution and the Empire, the inhabitants of Strasbourg (then a garrison town) saw a large number of troops with colorful uniforms passing through their streets, heading to Germany. This influx of troops, lasting over fifteen years, inspired some to 'sketch' these fine soldiers.

Among these artists, the three most well-known for this period are: Thiébaut Borerst (1782-1824), Eugène Nicollet (1802-1872), and Wurtz, to whom we dedicate a specific paragraph."