Soldier on guard covering the pan of his arquebus with two fingers against sparks (no. 42), ca. 1600
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
A soldier on guard, full-length, facing right, holding a matchlock (a specific type of firearm) with his left hand (no. 42), ca. 1600. The lit match lies on the cock (part of the ignition mechanism) of his matchlock. With his index and middle finger of his right hand he covers the pan (the powder reservoir) of his matchlock to protect the powder from sparks from the match. Plate 42 in the instructions for handling the matchlock: 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 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 on guard pressing the match onto the cock of his arquebus (no. 40), ca. 1600
Soldier on guard with a musket taking hold of his match (no. 38), 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
Soldier pouring powder into the pan of his arquebus (no. 16), ca. 1600.