Life in miniature
Highly popular in the field of military miniatures, dioramas also exist in the world of 1/43 civilian models. Whether based on kits or existing models from traditional manufacturers (Solido, Norev, Matrix, Minialuxe, etc.), dioramas bring life and realism to miniatures. Replicating scenes from period photographs, pure imagination or specific themes, the objectives are very varied. For my part, I am very fond of reproducing real scenes from photographs. It allows one to immerse oneself in reality, sometimes out of nostalgia and sometimes simply for the challenges posed by reproducing the scene.
My latest creation, a diorama for the CX's fiftieth anniversary
Recently, I read the excellent book «Citroën Aulnay», published by Citrovisie editions. One photo particularly caught my attention: the one showing a CX body shell resting on breeze blocks and showing the different painting stages. I sent an email to the publisher asking if it would be possible to reproduce this picture; not only did I get a reply within half a day, but it came directly from Mr Julius GOLDMANN, the author, who sent me this photo and a few others as attachments.
The choices for the diorama
The photo is taken from an angle that does not allow the entirety of the environment to be grasped. Therefore, I chose to limit myself to what I could see, assuming the hidden or invisible details. The group formed by the lockers, the breeze blocks, the bodywork of the CX and the figure is printed in resin. The grilles are printed in PLA (plastic) and the chain is made from a jewellery chain. The main support is a small wooden board. A copy of the original photo is slid onto two rails (printed in PLA) beneath the board.
A one-off copy… and a modification to come!
I am quite satisfied with the result. However, the most observant among you will have noticed a major omission. Focused on the whole scene, I forgot to put a floor in the car! Overall it is not a huge deal, but this omission detracts from the realism of the scene… I plan to remedy this flaw soon, and I will then publish new photos. Thank you for your forbearance, but please feel free to contact me for more information or comments. For the moment I have no plans to make any other copies of this diorama, but if you are interested, let me know.
Another diorama in the works
I would like to thank Mr Julius GOLDMANN once again, to whom I sent a photo of this diorama and who replied very kindly by throwing down a «new challenge» for me, which I will no doubt take up in the coming months (the photo below is not in the book). Watch this space...
December 2025: mission accomplished! see Here