Target gun used by the Guild of Arquebusiers in Amsterdam 1675 - 1699

This target gun was made in Amsterdam by Jacobus Jaspers for the Guild of Arquebusiers. In the Dutch Republic, guilds were more than just trade associations; they were powerful social and political entities. The Guild of Arquebusiers, like other civic militias, played a role in defending the city and maintaining order, but they were also spaces of male sociability and civic pride. The guns they used were often ornately decorated, transforming instruments of potential violence into objects of art. Consider the culture of marksmanship and competition fostered by the Guild, offering men a sense of belonging and status. Note that the Guild’s membership would have excluded women, as well as many men of lower social classes or different ethnic backgrounds. In a society undergoing rapid transformation, the Guild offered its members a way to assert their identity and stake their claim to power and prestige. While appreciating its craftsmanship, we should consider the social structures it represents.