The Painting "The Night Watch": Image Analysis and Symbolism of Rembrandt's Masterpiece

His name has become the epitome of Dutch Baroque painting: Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669). With the painting "The Night Watch", he created his masterpiece. The painting, dating from 1642, shows an assembly of the Amsterdam militia. In several respects, it is considered a milestone of Baroque painting.

In it, Rembrandt fundamentally reinterpreted the traditional genre of group portraiture. He also demonstrated his masterful skill in handling light-dark contrasts ("chiaroscuro"). Furthermore, Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" impresses through its sheer size. The painting measures 3.63 metres by 4.37 metres and weighs around 170 kilograms.

Rembrandt's group portrait of the militia guild today belongs to the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. After almost 400 years, the picture is still in surprisingly good condition. However, it has been damaged several times. Broad strips on all four sides have been cut off, and there were also several attempts to destroy it.

In 2019, an art history research project was launched at the Rijksmuseum, which has the task of both extensively analysing and restoring the work. The painting "The Night Watch" can thus look back on a turbulent history. Reason enough to take a closer look at some aspects of its history.

Rembrandt van Rijn - Figurehead of Dutch Baroque Painting

In the 17th century, the Netherlands was one of the most important centres of Baroque painting. Among the most significant representatives of that epoch was Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, from Leiden. Yet his career had many highs and some lows.

From around 1620 to 1625, Rembrandt completed training as a painter and immediately afterwards set out on his own. Soon, he was able to sell his first works. His reputation as an excellent painter quickly spread throughout Europe.

His favourite subjects were primarily portraits. He completed numerous commissioned works for wealthy citizens, but also repeatedly created self-portraits.

In addition to portraits, he painted many historical scenes, still lifes, and landscapes. Above all, with his very lively, atmospheric, and lifelike style of painting, he made a name for himself among his contemporaries.

In addition to his work as a painter, he was also an avid collector. He built up a large collection of art objects such as paintings, copperplate engravings and woodcuts, as well as everyday items such as coins, weapons and musical instruments. He also worked as a painting teacher and is said to have had around 20 pupils.

Despite his teaching activities and a good number of commissions, Rembrandt ran into financial difficulties from around 1650 onwards. He could no longer pay his debts and even had to sell his house. When he died in 1669, he was completely impoverished.

Rembrandt left behind an extensive body of work, estimated to comprise around 250 paintings, approximately 300 etchings, and around 1,000 drawings. Many of his works are now considered milestones of Baroque painting and are very popular exhibits at exhibitions.

The Painting "The Night Watch" Honours the Amsterdam Militia

Rembrandt's skills as a portrait painter were in high demand around 1640. During this phase, he also received the commission for what is now his most famous work. The Amsterdam militia guild wanted to adorn the banquet hall of their headquarters with a large and representative painting. It was meant to honour the service of those men who, in the voluntary militia, upheld order in the city.

Since this was literally an honorary office, it was a very responsible task to depict the company of guards in a painting. Rembrandt accepted the commission and completed the monumental work in 1642.

The title known today as "The Night Watch" (Dutch: "De Nachtwacht") is said to have first been used at the end of the 18th century. It apparently derives from the supposed subject shown: a large group of armed men in dim light.

However, today it is assumed that Rembrandt did not originally intend to paint a nocturnal scene here. The dark impression only arose because the painting had become heavily soiled. Moreover, the scene shown is probably not actually a "night watch" in the true sense. At least the soldiers do not necessarily appear as if they are currently protecting someone or something from imminent danger. Nevertheless, the title "The Night Watch" has prevailed to this day.

"The Night Watch" Image Description: Guards, a Girl, and a Self-Portrait

Nowadays, one would probably describe Rembrandt’s "The Night Watch" as a search-and-find picture, for it depicts a very dynamic scene with many different protagonists.

The Guards

The members of the company appear partly in fine garments and carry weapons such as pikes, swords, halberds, and rifles. Standing close together, they are occupied with various activities. Some load their muskets; others seem to be conversing.

In addition to the commissioners, at least 15 other people are recognisable in the painting. Rembrandt, however, did not show their faces at all or only incompletely. They serve merely as staffage and visually fill the scene.

Rembrandt used painterly techniques such as lighting and bright colours to make some people stand out from the group:

• The captain of the troop, Frans Banninck Cocq, is clearly the centre of attention. His snow-white ruff and red sash stand out strikingly against his black suit. An officer's staff emphasises his leading role.
• To his right stands his lieutenant, Willem van Ruytenburgh. His yellow suit with a white sash stands out next to the darkly dressed captain.
• Also very noticeable is a soldier dressed in red, loading his weapon. This is said to be the musketeer Jan Aertsz van der Heede.

The (Un)known Female Figure

Of particular interest in almost every analysis of The Night Watch, however, is a small female figure among the crowd of soldiers. Rembrandt prominently highlighted her in her bright dress. On her belt, she carries both a dead chicken and a pistol. These objects are usually interpreted as symbols of the civic guild.

However, there are various speculations about the identity of the figure. Her body size suggests a girl, while her facial features resemble those of an adult woman.

However, it is not certain who this figure actually is. Art historians are much more certain about a person wearing a beret to the right of the flag bearer, whose face is only partially visible. It is assumed that Rembrandt immortalised himself here in the group of musketeers. This is supported by the fact that he was known for his numerous self-portraits. In addition, it was by no means unusual at that time for artists to integrate their own likeness into their works.

Rembrandt Broke with the Tradition of Group Portraits in Several Ways

Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" differs noticeably from many group portraits in 17th-century Dutch painting. At that time, there were clear rules for depicting groups of people:

• Typically, artists did not compose group portraits as independent motifs. Rather, they were based on individual portraits, arranged side by side with equal weight.
• Elaborate backgrounds or recognisable plots were not intended for this type of painting. First and foremost, the characters had to be easily recognisable and nothing should distract from them.

However, these paintings lacked any kind of atmosphere. Rembrandt, on the other hand, opted for a virtually revolutionary interpretation of this genre. He transformed his group portrait into an almost theatrical scene, full of life and movement:

• First, he broke up the standardised arrangement of the figures and instead staged a lively scene in which each character is shown engaged in an individual activity.
• Rembrandt also allowed each of those portrayed to wear their own clothing as well as additional objects such as weapons, a flag, or a drum.
• Unusually for a group portrait, he also added various other figures, such as the mysterious girl and a barking dog.
• In addition, he enriched the background of the painting with a multitude of extras whose names are not known.

All these elements ensure that the scene appears very dynamic and allow viewers to immerse themselves in the situation.

Interpretation of "The Night Watch" - The Symbolism Behind Rembrandt’s Masterpiece

With his painting "The Night Watch", Rembrandt honoured the members of the Amsterdam militia. He used various techniques to ensure that the militia appeared active, heroic, and determined. Many of the men in the picture are holding weapons in their hands and seem to be waiting to be called into action.

The many spears in the background of the painting also create the impression that the militia had many more soldiers at its disposal. This company clearly shows its willingness to protect the city from harm both from within and without. Thus, the painting conveys a feeling of security to the viewer.

Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" also tells of the high social standing enjoyed by the militia. The partly very elegant clothing of the soldiers makes them appear very cultured. They do not look like trigger-happy legionnaires. Rather, the impression arises that they come from the middle of bourgeois society.

Looking more closely, however, it seems that Rembrandt did not want to depict an actual event in this painting. Rather, he aimed to create a dramatic atmosphere and idealise the soldiers. By skilfully illuminating the scene, he created an almost mystical mood:

• The light, with its targeted spotlights, appears somewhat unreal, but heightens the pathos of the moment.
• The partly elaborate and elegant clothing of the soldiers would probably have been rather impractical in real confrontations.
• For security reasons, it would also have been highly unlikely for so many men to handle their muskets in such a confined space.

Overall, one must therefore assume this is more of a fictitious situation than a real event.

An analysis of "The Night Watch" shows that the entire scene is designed to show the militia in a very positive light. The militia appears as a unit that sticks together even when facing extreme danger. This makes Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" not only a symbol of civic engagement in the 17th century, but also of social cohesion in general.

Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" Was Heavily Damaged and Restored Multiple Times

In the nearly 400 years since its completion, Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" has had to endure a lot. Not only did the normal ageing process take its toll on the painting, but also several deliberate acts of damage:

The first and most serious alteration to the painting was already carried out in 1715. The imposing work was to be hung in Amsterdam’s town hall. However, with its original dimensions of approximately 4 metres in height and 5 metres in width, it did not fit in the intended space. So, strips were simply cut off on all four sides of the canvas. The cut-off strips subsequently disappeared without a trace.

The work suffered further damage from several attacks. In 1911 and 1975, the picture was stabbed during exhibitions, and in 1990 it was sprayed with sulphuric acid. Because of the damage as well as the effects of ageing, the painting had to be restored multiple times.

Thus, there were several attempts both to clean it and to refresh the colours. It was also relined at least once. This procedure was intended to stabilise the canvas and close cracks and holes.

The preliminary highlight of the project was the attempt to restore the edges of the painting that were removed in 1715. Using a hand-painted 17th-century copy and artificial intelligence, the missing parts were reconstructed. They were placed around the painting, and the now complete work was exhibited at the Rijksmuseum for three months. "Operation Night Watch" is still ongoing and promises to bring many more revealing insights about the work and the artist to light.

The Story of "The Night Watch" Is Far From Finished

At the Rijksmuseum, "The Night Watch" is the great crowd-puller. Its eventful history and its art-historical value make it one of the most fascinating works in art history. Even though much is already known about this painting, some questions remain unanswered to this day.

For example, it remains a mystery what event Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" actually depicts and who the female figure with the chicken really is. There thus remains much room for interpretations and speculations surrounding Rembrandt’s most important work.

The results of the "Operation Night Watch" project at the Rijksmuseum may also deliver many further interesting findings. As in the past roughly 400 years, The Night Watch will therefore probably continue to fascinate many generations to come.