A soldier shaking the powder from the top of the pan, from the Musketeers series, plate 19, in Wapenhandelinghe van Roers Musquetten Ende Spiessen (The Exercise of Arms) 1565 - 1629

This etching by Jacques de Gheyn II is from his 1599 series “Wapenhandelinghe van Roers Musquetten Ende Spiessen” (The Exercise of Arms), which features detailed illustrations of soldiers using different weapons. In this plate, a musketeer is shown preparing his weapon. He holds his musket with the barrel pointed upwards and shakes the powder from the pan, ready to fire. De Gheyn's series was intended to be an instructional manual for soldiers, and the high level of detail in the etchings allows for a clear understanding of the technique involved in handling firearms at the time. This print, like the rest of the series, is an important historical document that captures the military practices of the late 16th and early 17th centuries.