De exercitie met schild en spies: de soldaat met de spies in de veilige houding bij het marcheren (nr. 4), 1618 1616 - 1618

This engraving of a soldier with a spear was made in 1618 by Adam van Breen. The image is one of a series, likely intended as a guide for military training. The technique used is engraving, a printmaking process where the artist carves lines into a metal plate, applies ink, and then presses paper onto the plate to transfer the image. This process allowed for the relatively quick reproduction of images. The choice of engraving is significant. Unlike painting, which was unique, or even more elaborate printmaking techniques, engraving was suited to producing images efficiently. In its way, the medium mirrors the very subject of the artwork: the rationalization and regimentation of military practice in the early modern period. The print would have spread the militarization of labor and the birth of modern capitalism. So, even a seemingly straightforward image like this is deeply embedded in social and economic history.