NAPOLEON'S ELITE CAVALRY: CAVALRY OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD, 1804-1815.

London: Greenhill, 1999. 208 pp, folio (14 1/8" H). "In a stunning collection of full colour plates, this superb book captures the spirit of the Imperial Guard cavalry and their role in Napoleon's battles. It fully conveys the glory of soldiers of a military era surpassing the splendour of any other. (B)rings together, for the very first time, ninety-one colour plates by the celebrated artist Lucien Rousselot. The plates, housed in the Anne S.K. Brown Miltiary Collection, illustrate Napoleon's key Guard cavalry units: the Dragoons (25 plates), a regiment established in 1806; the Chasseurs (27 plates), formed from Napoleon's own personal bodyguard of 'Guides'; the Polish Light Horse (25 plates), the first foreign regiment to be part of the Imperial Guard; and the Grenadiers (13 plates), the most feared of all the French army's regiments. In addition there is one vivid picture of Napoleon, wearing his favourite uniform - that of the Chasseurs (frontispiece). Carefully researched by the leading French exponent of the history of uniforms, Lucien Rousselot, from primary sources, including surviving uniforms and official documents, and brilliantly executed, these paintings are the very best of their type and superb examples of military art. Accompanying texts by Edward Ryan provide information on the regiments' uniforms, colourful Guard commanders and hard-fought battles, and an Introduction charts the origins and development of the Guard cavalry." Light wear at corners and top/bottom of spine, wrinkling at bottom of spine, small moderate bump at top edge/corner of front cover, small light bump at top edge/corner of rear cover, a few tiny edge dints. Dust jacket has light rubbing, some areas of light edgewear/wrinkling, 2" scuff on front flap-fold, a few tiny dints on front panel, 1" tear archivally taped. . First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good-/Good+. Illus. by Lucien Rousselot..