As the twenty-first century progresses, the one area where globalization almost seems complete is the world of military uniforms. The modern battlefield soldier, whatever his nation, is ubiquitously dressed in a standard camouflage outfit, whether desert, woodland or the new ‘universal’ pattern and wears a common Kevlar helmet with eerie echoes of a Teutonic past. When not on active service he (or she) wears a jacket and trousers in various hues of khaki, olive green or gray with a colored beret or peaked cap. More often than not they parade or walk out in the very camouflage they fight in. Vestiges of the past will invariably appear on the uniforms of Guard units or bands and those dull camouflage coats will often bear a badge or insignia that distinguishes them from soldiers in other units. However, the glorious and colorful uniforms of the past are now history. Who knows the difference between a Brandenburg or Polish cuff? A Tshapka or a Colpack? The shakos, spiked helmets and bearskin caps that defined fighting men a little more than a century ago now avoid dust under glass cases in rarely visited museums.
Fortunately for posterity, a hundred or so artists and illustrators over the past three centuries dedicated themselves to the preservation of the history of the uniforms and accoutrements worn by the world’s armies and their regiments. Their illustrations appeared in countless books and publications on the subject and although many of the originals have disappeared in the flames of wartime bombing or the ruin of neglect, the books remain. Over the years, Uniformology has amassed a huge collection of digital images of much of this work, especially of the more famous artists. In addition we have a large library of 2,500 books and publications dedicated to the subject of military uniforms and iconography. Over the past several years, Uniformology has produced CDs and print collections of a fraction of this art and more recently has been publishing a book series to present the work in more compact form accompanied by informative texts.
As the Uniformology team expands with the addition of resident artists and contributing authors our mission is to provide, through our publications and web site, the most comprehensive information anywhere on the subject of the worlds military uniforms, past and present.
Fortunately for posterity, a hundred or so artists and illustrators over the past three centuries dedicated themselves to the preservation of the history of the uniforms and accoutrements worn by the world’s armies and their regiments. Their illustrations appeared in countless books and publications on the subject and although many of the originals have disappeared in the flames of wartime bombing or the ruin of neglect, the books remain. Over the years, Uniformology has amassed a huge collection of digital images of much of this work, especially of the more famous artists. In addition we have a large library of 2,500 books and publications dedicated to the subject of military uniforms and iconography. Over the past several years, Uniformology has produced CDs and print collections of a fraction of this art and more recently has been publishing a book series to present the work in more compact form accompanied by informative texts.
As the Uniformology team expands with the addition of resident artists and contributing authors our mission is to provide, through our publications and web site, the most comprehensive information anywhere on the subject of the worlds military uniforms, past and present.
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