Ruiters en voetvolk bij een stadspoort c. 1663 - 1695

Christiaan Hagen created this etching titled 'Horsemen and Foot Soldiers at a City Gate'. Hagen, who lived through the Dutch Golden Age, captures a scene brimming with the socio-political dynamics of the era. Notice how Hagen renders a clear hierarchy through composition. The horsemen, presumably of higher status, dominate the foreground, their elevated position literally looking down upon the foot soldiers and townspeople. The gate, a symbol of both entry and exclusion, frames a diverse crowd, their faces turned towards the procession, hinting at a narrative of power and spectatorship. Who gets to be inside versus outside the city walls? Who is on horseback and who must walk? The emotional tenor of the scene is one of anticipation, yet for whom is this a moment of celebration, and for whom is it a reminder of their place in the social order? Hagen prompts us to reflect on how these historical power structures continue to echo in contemporary society.