Rembrandt van Rijn
The Night Watch is one of the most iconic paintings in Western art history, famous for three things: its colossal size, the dramatic use of light and shadow (tenebrism), and the perception of motion in what would have traditionally been a static military group portrait. Created by Rembrandt van Rijn, its official title is Officers and Men of the Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Wilhelm van Ruytenburgh. The title of The Night Watch was first applied at the end of the 18th century. Be careful, though; it is not a night scene at all! It actually takes place during the day but the painting had darkened considerably through the accumulation of many layers of dirt and varnish, giving the appearance that the event takes place at night.
There are so many interesting things about this painting and as we don't have the space to tell them all here so we have collected them in our article in DailyArt Magazine. We encourage you to read that article, but if you don't want to, there is another fact you should know about it: probably the most unusual feature is the mysterious girl who emerges from the darkness just behind the musketeer in red. With flowing blond hair and a fanciful gold dress, the young girl in all her brilliance draws considerable attention. Her most curious attribute, however, is the large white chicken that hangs upside down from her waistband. The significance of this bird, particularly its claws, lies in its direct reference to the Kloveniers, the guild that ordered the painting. Each guild had its own emblem and for the Kloveniers it was a golden claw on a blue field. The girl then is not a real person but acts as a personification of the company.
In July 2019 a long and complex restoration of The Night Watch began. The restoration is taking place in public, in a specially-made glass enclosure built and placed in the Rijksmuseum, and is being livestreamed. The plan is to map the painting "layer by layer and pigment by pigment," and then plan conservation work according to what is found. We are very excited about the results!!
P.S. Here you can find 15 things you may not know about The Night Watch by Rembrandt. <3