Soldier on guard holding his musket diagonally upward at his right side with his left hand, while removing his hat with his right hand (no. 38), ca. 1600

A soldier on guard, full-length, facing right, holding a musket (a specific type of firearm) at his right side, his left hand around the fork of the fork (musket fork) on which the barrel, pointing obliquely upward, rests (no. 38), ca. 1600. In his left hand also a burning slow match. With his right hand the soldier takes off his hat. Plate 38 in the instructions for handling the musket: Brief enseignement, sur les pourtraitz figurez, touchant le droit maniement du Mousquet. 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.