Monteringen van de Nationale Garde van Amsterdam, 1795 1795

This print, Monteringen van de Nationale Garde van Amsterdam, 1795, now at the Rijksmuseum, meticulously depicts the uniforms of Amsterdam's National Guard. Created anonymously, the work presents a visual inventory of social structure through its organization of form and design. The composition is structured by the grid-like arrangement of figures and emblems. Each figure, rendered in cool blues and grays, is rigidly posed, emphasizing uniformity and order, while the subtle variations denote rank and function. These subtle disruptions within the rigid structure hint at the diversity of the Guard. The artist uses a semiotic system of signs to communicate social distinctions. Emblems, such as the liberty tree, serve as cultural codes, symbolizing the values of the National Guard. This visual language underscores how clothing and symbols function to construct and communicate identity within a larger social framework. The print destabilizes simple notions of unity, revealing a complex interplay between individual and collective identity.