farewell banquet of the officers of the St George civic guard in Haarlem, for whose headquarters this group portrait was commissioned. The colonel and his three captains are seated at the laid table with their lieutenants, while two ensigns are entering on the right – probably to report that their respective companies are lined up outside.

While the positions of the depicted officers has already been documented in various places at the time the painting was made, their names were only added to a plaque on the frame around 1740, and discrete numbers were written onto the painting for identification. Portraits commemorated persons of importance, therefore the names of servants were only rarely recorded. From today’s perspective, it is to Hals's credit that his representations of the servants are just as full of character as those of the officers.