Oproep voor het betrekken van de wacht bij de schutterij van Amsterdam, februari 1788 1788

Theodoor Koning created this print in 1788 to call on the Amsterdam citizenry to join the Civic Guard. It was a tumultuous time in the Netherlands, with Patriots seeking democratic reforms and the Orangists trying to maintain the power of the Stadtholder. This print gives us a glimpse into the politics of imagery at the time. The central text is surrounded by symbols: cannons, drums, portraits, and the crowned coat of arms. To the right stands the Amsterdam maiden, a personification of the city, holding a shield with three crosses, which can still be seen on the flag of Amsterdam today. But the invitation to join the guard betrays the political tensions and the potential for civil unrest. To understand this image fully, one needs to examine the archives of the Amsterdam Civic Guard, the records of political debates from this period, and the visual culture of the Dutch Republic. These all reflect the ways in which art is contingent on social and institutional contexts.