Being a member of the Civic Guard (Schutterij) was a much-desired honour among the Dutch. The Civic Guard, a military group that supported the local civic government, consisted of several wealthy citizens, who were appointed to the position by the city’s magistrates. The Guard’s mission was to defend the city in case of fire, revolts, or foreign attacks. The members used to gather to practice in shooting or for social purposes. Their role was immortalized in art, as the members of the Civic Guard proudly paid for the annual execution of a group portrait in commemoration of their service. Each member had to pay for their depiction on the group portrait and today a collection of portraits of citizens that belonged to the famous Civic Guard is exhibited in the Civic Guards Gallery, which is part of the Amsterdam Museum.