Grenadier van het Genootschap tot Nut der Schutterij te Amsterdam, 1787 1787

This is a watercolor, made in Amsterdam in 1787 by an anonymous artist, representing a grenadier of the civic guard. The image offers a window into the social and political landscape of the Dutch Republic during a period of upheaval. The civic guard, or "schutterij," was a voluntary militia composed of middle-class citizens, and this print provides us with visual codes of the period. The uniform, the weapon, and the posture all reflect the social role of the armed citizen within the Dutch Republic. This was a time of rising tensions between the Patriot movement, seeking democratic reforms, and the Orangists, supporting the Stadtholder's near-monarchical rule. The civic guards were often aligned with the Patriots, and this image speaks to the politicization of civic identity and the militarization of political discourse. Historical sources, such as pamphlets, newspapers, and organizational records, can illuminate the civic guards' role in the political struggles of the late 18th century. Through such research, we can see this image not just as a portrait of a soldier, but as a symbol of a society grappling with questions of citizenship, power, and revolution.