Page 428 - Beholding Liberty!

Charles Nicolas Fabvier (1782-1855)
ONE OF THE GREATEST French philhellenes, was born in the town of Pont-à-Mousson in France. Offspring of a noble family of attorneys, he graduated from Polytechnic School of Paris in 1804 as an officer of Artillery. In 1809 he was sent to Istanbul and in 1810 to Persia, in order to organize the Persian army. He took part in the Napoleonic wars, where he was dis- tinguished for his bravery. At the age of 30 he was a colonel, was honoured with the Brigadier General of Legion of Honour and he received the title of Baron.
From 1817 to 1823 he participated in conspiracies against the regime of Bourbons for which he was sentenced. In 1818 he was put out of duty, like most officers of the Napoleonic army. In 1822 he was connected with the secret organization of Car- bonari, went to Spain and took part in the revolution against the monarchical regime. Hunted by the French police, found shelter in England and afterwards in Greece, in 1823, under the alias De Borel.
He returned to England to gather volunteers and in 1825 he returned to Greece and took the command of the fourth reg- ular troops in Nafplio. He participated in the battle of Haidari (Attica) at the beginning of August 1826 and on 30 November of the same year he broke with 530 men the Acropolis siege, transporting ammunition. However, he was trapped there by the Turkish forces until 24 May 1827, when he was forced to surrender. Also he participated in the Morea campaign, accom- panying the regular French army, but in 1828 after his dispute with the governor Ioannis Kapodistrias he returned to France.
The 3rd National Assembly of Troezen declared him honorary Greek citizen, while under Otto’s rule he was awarded the Great Cross of the Order of the Savior for his contribution to the Battle. With his death in 1855 a three day mourning
period was declared in the Greek army and the Acropolis was lit mournfully.
428 BEHOLDING LIBERTY!
ΙΙΙ.9.3
Karl Krazeisen (1794-1878)
Portrait of Charles Nicholas Fabvier, 1831
lithograph, 42 × 32 cm
signed: signature by Fabvier (on image, low centre) inscribed: FABVIER. (loe centre)
Michalis Ntais Collection
THIS PRINT COMES from the series of portraits by Karl Krazeisen [cat. no ΙΙΙ.1.2].
It shows the General Charles Nicolas Fabvier, facing front, wear- ing the costume he had adopted in Greece, with the character- istic turban, which, combined with his facial traits, gave him the appearance of a Greek.
ΙΙΙ.9.4
Pierre Jean David d’Angers (1788-1856) Portrait of Charles Nicholas Fabvier, 1828
bronze medallion, diameter 16 cm
signed and dated: DAVID / 1828
inscribed: FABVIER / CHARLES NICOLAS / NE A PONT A / MOUSSON
LE / 15 DECEMBRE 1783 (left, vertically)
Hellenic Parliament Art Collection, inv. n. 876
A PORTRAIT IN PROFILE of Charles Nicolas Fabvier, in a large medal, carved in beautiful high relief by the prominent sculptor Pierre Jean David d’Angers in 1828. Fabvier is shown wearing the characteristic turban he had adopted in Greece. David d’Angers pro- duced a number of philhellenic sculptures, ei- ther small-scale or in a monumental format, including the monument to Markos Botsaris in Missolonghi. This medal of Fabvier is one of the
artist’s best works in this genre.