Reproductie van de Schuttersmaaltijd ter viering van de Vrede van Munster before 1883

Emile Aubry made this reproduction of the ‘Schuttersmaaltijd ter viering van de Vrede van Munster,’ using an engraving. This piece provides a window into Dutch social dynamics and civic life during the Golden Age. The original painting that is reproduced here depicts a celebratory meal of the civic guard. These militias were important social institutions, representing local power and community solidarity in the Dutch Republic. Made in the Netherlands in 1648, this event marked the end of the Eighty Years' War and the formal recognition of Dutch independence. The painting commemorates a key moment in the formation of national identity and the establishment of the Dutch Republic as a major European power. To better understand pieces like this, historians might delve into city archives, guild records, and the personal histories of those depicted. By exploring the social fabric of the time, we can appreciate how art both reflected and shaped the cultural values and political realities of its era.