Soldier ramming powder and ball into the barrel of his musket with his ramrod (no. 27), ca. 1600
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A soldier, full-length, facing right, holding a musket (a specific type of firearm) with his left hand at his left thigh and inserting his ramrod into the barrel with his right hand, to push down the powder and ball (no. 27), ca. 1600. In his left hand, besides the musket, he holds a fork (musket fork) and a match. Plate 27 in the instructions for handling the musket: Shorte instruction for the figures, so much concerneth the right use of muskett. 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 sliding his ramrod into the holder under the barrel of his musket (no. 30), ca. 1600
Soldier pushing powder and ball into the barrel of his musket with his ramrod (no. 27), ca. 1600
Soldier holding his musket upright with his right hand (no. 32), ca. 1600
Soldier with a musket sliding his right hand toward the end of the ramrod (no. 29), ca. 1600
Soldier shaping the match on the cock of his musket to the correct position and form (no. 9), ca. 1600
Soldier with a musket transferring the match from his right to his left hand (no. 15), ca. 1600