Vaandrig en tamboers der burgery van Amsterdam 1767 - 1793

This print at the Rijksmuseum, ‘Vaandrig en tamboers der burgery van Amsterdam,’ made by Erven Hendrik van der Putte, presents a study in civic representation. The composition, dominated by three figures, uses color sparingly. Red and blue are strategically placed to draw the eye across the surface. Structurally, the print is divided into upper and lower registers. The upper is adorned with heraldic symbols and a central, stylized tree. This sits in stark contrast to the more grounded depiction of the flag bearer and drummers below. The figures are rendered with a linear precision that emphasizes their roles, almost like types. The semiotic interplay here is intriguing. Flags, drums, and heraldry function as signs. Each carrying coded meanings related to civic duty, order, and identity. The choice of form and composition serves not merely as a record, but as an active construction of social and political values. The print invites ongoing interpretations of its symbolic language.