Generaal der infanterie 1830 - 1831

This watercolor painting of a General of the Infantry was made by an anonymous artist. Look closely at the linear precision and detail achieved through watercolor on paper. The artist would have begun with faint pencil markings, and built up layers of translucent pigment with tiny brushes. The effect is both precise and luminous. It’s important to remember that watercolors like this were not simply works of art. They were also a means of visually recording and circulating information about the military. Uniforms were literally manufactured, and this painting captures that industrial process. The general’s gold epaulettes, the elaborate buttons, and the tall, feathered hat all speak to a vast, often unacknowledged system of workshops, commerce, and labor. Considering this artwork, we can appreciate the extraordinary skill involved in its making. But we can also recognize its connection to broader social and economic systems.