Rijksmuseum
The Night Watch
Learn more on
Loading

The Night Watch

Rembrandt1642

Rijksmuseum

Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Rembrandt's largest and most famous painting was made for one of the three headquarters of Amsterdam's civic guard. These groups of civilian soldiers defended the city from attack. Rembrandt was the first to paint all of the figures in a civic guard piece in action. The captain, dressed in black, gives the order to march out. The guardsmen are getting into formation. Rembrandt used the light to focus on particular details, like the captain's gesturing hand and the young girl in the foreground. She was the company mascot. The nickname Night Watch originated much later, when the painting was thought to represent a nocturnal scene.

Show lessRead more
  • Title: The Night Watch
  • Creator: Rijn, Rembrandt van
  • Date Created: 1642
  • Physical Dimensions: doek
  • Subject Keywords: Amsterdam, Banninck Cocq, Frans, Ruytenburch, Willem van, Visscher Cornelisen, Jan, Kemp, Rombout, Engelen, Reijnier Janszn, Bolhamer, Barent Harmansen, Keijser, Jan Adriaensen, Willemsen, Elbert, Leijdeckers, Jan Claesen, Ockersen, Jan, Bronchorst, Jan Pietersen, Wormskerck, Harman Jacobsen, Roy, Jacob Dircksen de, Heede, Jan van der
  • Rights: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
Rijksmuseum

Get the app

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie, and more

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites