Keizerlijke garde, plaat 26 Possibly 1530 - 1699

Nicolaas Hogenberg created this print, Keizerlijke garde, around 1500 in the Netherlands using engraving. This image and others like it were intended to circulate in a society where political power was increasingly tied to displays of military might. Consider the visual codes at play here. The composition is dominated by row upon row of soldiers bearing pikes. Their regimented order conveys a sense of discipline and control. This wasn’t just a depiction of reality; it was a carefully constructed image designed to project power. The print also highlights the institutional nature of military force at the time. Who were these soldiers, and what social conditions shaped their role? Were they mercenaries, loyal to the highest bidder, or were they part of a more formalized state army? As historians, we turn to sources such as military records, political pamphlets, and personal accounts to better understand images like this and the world in which they were created. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.