De dwerg Rusticus Schermutsius, 1720 1718 - 1720

This engraving of ‘The Dwarf Rusticus Schermutsius’, was made in 1720 by Pieter van Buysen the Younger. This image is fascinating because it exists on the page as a kind of proto-cartoon, complete with comic-book style captions in three languages! The print depicts a dwarf holding a large rifle, wearing a sword and bandolier, and smoking a long pipe. The figure is titled as a ‘Rustic Mars’ or ‘Boerse Krygs-held’ from Tyrol, a region that was known for its fierce peasant fighters. It’s difficult to know exactly what this image meant to its original audience. Was it a patriotic celebration of the fighting spirit of the Tyrolean peasantry? Was it a comment on their lack of sophistication? Or was it just a funny picture of a little man with a big gun? We might look into printed popular imagery of the period to find out more. By understanding the institutional context of the work, we can hopefully find a better understanding of its original meaning.