The Night Watch - 1642
The Night Watch
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn
Object record
Genre
Period
Dutch Golden Age
Date
1642
About
The Night Watch is a colossal masterpiece of Baroque art, renowned for its dramatic use of chiaroscuro and dynamic sense of motion. Unlike traditional static group portraits, Rembrandt depicts the civic guard in mid-action as they prepare to march. The painting is famous for its intricate symbolism, including the enigmatic golden girl who serves as a mascot. Despite its nickname, the scene actually takes place in daylight; centuries of dark varnish gave it a nocturnal appearance until 20th-century restorations revealed its true brilliance.
Alternate title
Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq
Signature(s)
Rembrandt f. 1642
Inscription(s)
Shield in the background (added later) listing the names of the eighteen persons who paid for the portrait.
Type of work
Material
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
H: 379.5 x W: 453.5 cm
Collection
Provenance
Commissioned for the Kloveniersdoelen (Musketeers' Meeting Hall), Amsterdam; moved to Amsterdam Town Hall in 1715 (where it was trimmed); transferred to the Trippenhuis in 1817; housed in the Rijksmuseum since 1885.
Institution
Location
Amsterdam, North Holland, 1071 XX, Netherlands
Accession
SK-C-5
Copyright status
public_domain
Deep links
References
Creator links
Authority files
RKD: 3063, VIAF: 177124540, QID: Q219831
