Soldier blowing powder from his arquebus (no. 19), ca. 1600.
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A soldier, full-length, holding a musket (a specific type of firearm) to his mouth with both hands and blowing over it to remove any powder that may have fallen out of the pan (the powder reservoir) (no. 19), ca. 1600. In his left hand, besides the barrel of the musket, he holds a lit match. Plate 19 in the instructions for handling the musket: Brief enseignement, sur la representation des figures, du droit maniement de l'Harquebuse. Part of the illustrations in a French edition of J. de Gheyn's Wapenhandelinghe: J. de Gheyn, Maniement d'armes, d'arquebuses, mousquetz et piques : en conformité de l'ordre de Mour le Prince Maurice, Prince d'Orange, Amsterdam 1608. Military affairs around 1600.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionSimilar works
Soldier pouring powder into the pan of his arquebus (no. 16), ca. 1600.
Soldier with a musket bringing the match to his mouth to blow it clean (no. 6), ca. 1600
Soldier on guard holding his arquebus diagonally upward with his right hand, while letting the barrel fall in his left hand (no. 35), ca. 1600
Soldier placing his fork under his musket (no. 11), ca. 1600
Soldier blowing the match and covering the pan with his fingers (no. 9), ca. 1600.
Soldier on guard giving the match the correct position and shape on the cock of his arquebus (no. 41), ca. 1600