Schuttersstuk met Pieter Dircksz. Hasselaer - Jacob Colijn

A detailed 1586 engraving by Jacob Colijn depicting a Dutch civic guard banquet, complete with a numbered identification key for the sitters.

This engraving by Jacob Colijn, dated 1586, depicts a group portrait of the Amsterdam civic guard, or schuttersstuk. The work captures a formal banquet scene, a common subject for Dutch militia companies of the late sixteenth century. The figures are arranged around a table, engaged in social interaction, with many individuals holding drinking vessels. Each participant is numbered, corresponding to a list provided in the decorative cartouche at the base of the print, which identifies the members of the company, including Pieter Dircksz. Hasselaer.

The composition reflects the conventions of sixteenth-century Dutch portraiture, where the emphasis is placed on the social status and collective identity of the sitters. The men wear contemporary attire, including ruffs and doublets, which denote their position within the urban hierarchy. The background features architectural elements that suggest an interior setting, though the perspective remains somewhat flattened to accommodate the large number of figures. The engraving technique allows for a clear delineation of facial features and textures, providing a record of the individuals involved in the civic life of Amsterdam during this period.

Jacob Colijn employs a systematic approach to the arrangement of the figures, ensuring that each member of the militia is visible. The inclusion of the key at the bottom transforms the image into a historical document, intended to preserve the identities of the guard members for posterity. The decorative scrollwork surrounding the text adds a layer of formal ornamentation to the print, balancing the structured, grid-like arrangement of the portraits above. This work provides insight into the visual culture of the Dutch Republic, where group portraiture functioned as a means of asserting civic pride and individual achievement within the community.