Militaire ruiterij 1792 - 1847

Hendrik Moolenyzer's 'Military Cavalry' is an etching made in Amsterdam. The image repeats a figure of a soldier on horseback, resembling a pattern that could be found in the mass media of its time. This work may have been made to display Dutch military power, but consider also that it was produced during the Dutch Golden Age, a time when the country's military was intertwined with its commercial ambitions. The Dutch East India Company, for example, had its own private army to protect its trading interests. How might we see Moolenyzer's print as a commentary on this close relationship between the military and economic spheres? Is this an image of national pride or something more ambivalent? By consulting historical documents, such as military records, trade reports, and political pamphlets, we can begin to understand the complex social and economic conditions that shaped the creation and reception of this artwork.