Staande lansknecht in Bourgondisch kostuum, van achteren 1833 - 1910

Jan Gerard Smits made this watercolor of a lansquenet in Burgundian costume, but we don't know exactly when. The image presents a figure turned away from us, offering a view of historical clothing from behind. The choice of attire is itself revealing, referencing a bygone era of Burgundian power and opulence. But why? Made in the Netherlands, it's tempting to read this in relation to a sense of national identity or perhaps through its performance of class. How does this romanticised depiction of a soldier from the past speak to 19th century social structures, class tensions, and military aspirations? Does it uphold or critique those institutions? To understand Smits' image more fully, one might delve into the fashion of the time, the popular historical narratives, and the prevailing social attitudes towards military service in the Netherlands. These are the kinds of resources we might use to better understand the image in its original context.