Schutterij verjaagt de oproerkraaiers tijdens het Aansprekersoproer, 1696 1702 - 1733

Laurens Scherm made this etching, "Schutterij verjaagt de oproerkraaiers tijdens het Aansprekersoproer, 1696," or, "The Civic Guard Drives Away the Rioters During the Undertakers Riot," around 1696. It depicts a moment of conflict in Amsterdam. It shows the civic guard, a kind of citizen militia, confronting a crowd of rioters during the Undertakers Riot. This event was sparked by new regulations imposed on undertakers, who were responsible for funeral arrangements. The regulations were seen as an attack on their livelihoods, so they took to the streets in protest, which is what we see here. This print is interesting because it gives us a glimpse into the social tensions of the time. It shows how economic grievances could quickly escalate into public disorder, and how the authorities responded with force. The civic guard, typically associated with maintaining order, is shown here suppressing dissent. To better understand this artwork, we can consult archival records, period newspapers, and scholarly articles on Dutch social history. This will allow us to understand art not just as aesthetic objects, but as reflections of the societies that produce them.