The frieze of the camouflager
Camouflage—the art of concealment—was developed significantly during World War I thanks to the creation of the camouflage division.
Frise des camoufleurs Vue généraleMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
The camouflage division was created on August 14, 1915.
It was commissioned by painter Lucien-Victor Guirand de Scevola, who could be easily identified by his white hair.
Its members of course included painters!
Jean-Louis Forain (the figure with a cane to the right of Lucien-Victor Guirand de Scevola)
and Ernest-Louis Lessieux (seated in a pool of red paint). Just two examples of many …
Architects and theater set designers were also on the list…
Here: Louis Casidanus with his architect's rule
and Georges Mouveau, set designer for the Paris Opera. It's easy to identify him given his height.
The trees laying at his feet are also a potential nod to opera sets.
engravers and illustrators,
For example, Camille Beltrand smoking a cigarette in the background.
cabinetmakers–designers
Like Léon-Emile Bouchet, who had his buttocks painted by Ernest-Louis Lessieux.
and even authors
Such as Georges Chepfer and his characteristic moustache. He was a singer and comedian.
The art of disguise
Their purpose was to camouflage men, equipment, and communication channels.
Right down to their insignia
The special emblem adopted by the camouflagers was also the perfect symbol of their action: a chameleon.
Concealing men
Eugène Corbin designed special outfits to camouflage the troops.
Concealing the equipment
Artillery was painted with patterns designed to break the lines of the cannons.
Concealing the ground
Their interventions also extended to improvements on the ground. Communication channels were hidden using painted canvases, mesh, or even netting.
New techniques, some of which were very dangerous!
The camouflage division developed numerous new techniques. Artificial trees housing observation posts were installed at night to replace real trees.
Cubist painter André Mare (who is not in this photo) was also injured during the preparation of such an observation tree. Sixteen camouflagers were killed during World War I before the division was dissolved in December 1918.
Frise des camoufleurs Vue généraleMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
The piece and its creator
This frieze, which depicts the members of the camouflage division in the Nancy workshop in 1916, measures 13 feet (4 m) and was created by André Villain known as Drévil. The latter is also depicted drawing his companions with a notebook in hand.
A real day in the workshop or fiction?
Who knows ... but the creation of camouflage divisions allowed many artists to use their skills to serve France within the various workshops including that of Nancy or even that of Paris managed by painter Abel Truchet.
A story written and edited by the teams of the Army Museum.
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