Soldier holding his musket diagonally upward with his left hand while withdrawing his fork from under the barrel with his right hand (no. 13), ca. 1600
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
A soldier, full-length, facing right, holding a musket (a specific type of firearm) with his left hand after having fired, the barrel angled upward to prevent accidentally wounding a comrade (no. 13), ca. 1600. In his left hand, besides the musket, a lit match. With his right hand he pulls the fork (the musket fork) from under the barrel. Plate 13 in the instructions for handling the musket: Corte onderrechtinghe op de figuerlicke afbeeldinghe, soo veel aengaet het recht ghebruyck van Musquet. Part of the illustrations in: J. de Gheyn, Wapenhandelinghe van Roers Musquetten ende spiessen, Amsterdam, 1608. Military affairs around 1600.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionSimilar works
Soldier pressing his match to the hammer of his musket (no. 8), ca. 1600
Soldier detaching his match from the hammer of his musket (no. 14), ca. 1600
Soldier with a musket bringing his match to his mouth to blow it clean (no. 7), ca. 1600
Soldier with a musket sliding his right hand along the ramrod (no. 29), ca. 1600
Soldier shaking powder from his musket (no. 19), ca. 1600
Soldier on guard with a musket bringing the match to his mouth to blow it clean (no. 40), ca. 1600