Officieren en andere schutters van wijk XI in Amsterdam onder leiding van kapitein Reijnier Reael en luitenant Cornelis Michielsz Blaeuw, bekend als 'De magere compagnie' 1847 - 1889

This etching shows a group portrait by William Unger, now held at the Rijksmuseum. What immediately strikes us is its composition, where a cluster of figures is arranged in a shallow space, their forms tightly packed across the picture plane. Unger masterfully manipulates light and shadow to define the contours of each figure, creating a complex interplay of dark and light areas. The artist is playing with the conventional portrait format. The figures are not idealized, but are presented with a kind of directness that speaks to the changing social and artistic climate of the time. In destabilizing the traditional formal qualities, Unger is not merely recording the likenesses of these individuals, but capturing a moment of historical and cultural transition. The density of the composition, the stark contrasts, and the unidealized faces all serve to make a powerful comment on representation and identity.