Geknielde soldaat, zijn geweer aanleggende 1710 - 1717

Dirk Maas made this print of a kneeling soldier with a rifle sometime around the turn of the 18th century in the Netherlands. The image appears to be a study of military life, capturing the attitude of a soldier in action. The Dutch Republic at this time was a major military power, constantly at war to defend its commercial interests. Military imagery served an important public function, celebrating martial virtues and reminding citizens of the sacrifices required to maintain their nation's freedom. Maas’s print does not glorify war, but presents it as a technical exercise. The focus is on the soldier's posture, and how he handles his weapon. The print hints at the social conditions that shaped artistic production at the time. Artists were employed by the state to produce images that supported the military and its objectives. By studying prints like this alongside military records and other historical sources, we can better understand the complex relationship between art, war, and society in the Dutch Golden Age.