Joris van Schooten: Officers of the Yellow-Orange civic-guard Company of captain Cornelis Willemsz. van Kerchem from Leiden (1625)

(Lakenhal, Leiden, The Netherlands)

A typical Dutch civic-guard piece. A civic-guard was a group of volenteers from a city who would protect the city in times of trouble (during a siege or a rebellion). From the Middle Ages to the 18th century most Dutch cities had a civic guard. As you had to pay for your own equipment, members of these groups were usually wealthy people. Pictured on the painting are (from left to right):

- Johan van Marcken, standard-bearer
- Gerrit Claesz. van Akeren, lieutenant sergeant
- Pieter Cornelisz. van der Maas, Lieutenant standard-bearer
- Cornelis Willemsz. van Kerchem, captain
- Warner Arentz. van Hoogervorst, quartermaster
- Frans Jansz. van Borssen, sergeant
- Adriaen Heere van Vossevelth, lieutenant captain

The person top right is a self-portrait of Joris van Schooten. Painting from 1625.