Soldier on guard with a matchlock taking hold of his match (no. 38), ca. 1600
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A soldier on guard, full-length, facing right, holding a caliver (a specific type of firearm) with his left hand. In his left hand, besides the caliver, he holds a lit match (no. 38), ca. 1600. With his right hand he grasps this match. This is the same position as the one shown in the fifth print of the series. Plate 38 in the instructions for handling the caliver: Shorte instruction upon the contrefaictinges, touching the right use of calivers. Part of the illustrations in an English edition of J. de Gheyn's Wapenhandelinghe: J. de Gheyn, The exercise of armes for calivres, muskettes and pikes after the ordre of Maurits Prince of Orange, 's-Gravenhage 1608. Military affairs around 1600.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionSimilar works
Soldier on guard holding his matchlock diagonally upward at his right side, finger on the trigger (no. 36), ca. 1600
Soldier blowing the match and covering the pan with his fingers (no. 9), ca. 1600
Soldier pouring powder into the pan of his matchlock (no. 16), ca. 1600
Soldier holding his musket angled upwards with his left hand (no. 12), ca. 1600
Soldier drawing his ramrod from the barrel of his matchlock (no. 27), ca. 1600
Soldier carrying his pike with his left hand at his right side, the point angled upwards