This cavalryman, still splendidly and brightly uniformed represents the final flourish of military uniform until replaced by necessity in the carnage of the First World War. The dragoon is well armed with lance, sword and bolt action carbine yet his uniform hardly differs from his predecessors of   the 1870s and provided a fine target for the machine guns of the Kaiser’s army. His only deference to campaign is the canvas cover of his brass helmet, headgear hardly changed from Napoleonic times. The French were soon forced to learn that martial spirit and élan was no answer to machine guns and repeating rifles and tactics were forced to change and with these changes the glorious uniforms and bright colours faded to be replaced by the drab clothing of modern warfare.