Instructie over het gebruik van de slangbrandspuiten, 1684 1684 - 1882

This anonymous print from 1684 provides instructions on using a hose fire pump. It offers a fascinating window into the social and cultural context of fire prevention in the Dutch Republic. We see not just the technology of the pump, but also the organization implied by its careful storage. In a society reliant on timber construction and vulnerable to devastating fires, the development of effective firefighting techniques was a matter of communal survival. The print suggests the emergence of organized fire brigades and the allocation of civic resources to protect property and lives. Looking at archives and municipal records, we might uncover the specific regulations and social structures governing fire prevention in Dutch cities during this period. This print reminds us that art offers valuable insights into the social and institutional histories that shaped everyday life.