The most famous work in the museum is the Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq, better known as The Night Watch, painted in 1642 by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, considered one of the greatest visual artists in history. Born in 1606, his works include drawings, paintings and engravings, demonstrating a prolific, innovative talent for all three techniques.
This painting is famous for its huge size, the dramatic use of light and shade and the perception of motion in what would traditionally have been a static military group portrait.
The title it is best known by may be misleading: it is not in fact a watch, and it is not taking place at night, as we can see from the rays of light illuminating the characters.
What the painting shows are the members of the “Company of the Arquebusiers” setting out for a festive parade through the streets of Amsterdam. In Rembrandt’s time, these peaceful citizen militia companies served virtually no military purpose.
The painting was commissioned by the captain of the company, Frans Cocq, who occupies the place of honor on the canvas, with his lieutenant by his side. Rembrandt was paid 1600 florins for the work, because each member of the company contributed 100 florins.
Although this is a group portrait, Rembrandt avoids a monotonous sequence of motionless figures, thanks to the innovative technique of arranging the figures at three different depths, in order of their importance, in front of the entrance to the headquarters of the Company, thus creating a dynamic effect. There are 28 adults and three young people moving around the scene, generating an impression of confusion, enlivened by a tongue-in-cheek illustration of their lack of military skill and evident clumsiness in handling the weapons.
Rembrandt himself appears in the painting: you can see the self-portrait between the standard-bearer and the man with the helmet, but given his height, all that is visible is the top part of his face.
An interesting fact: The Night Watch is constantly guarded, and with good reason. The painting is so famous that it has attracted the attention of deranged individuals who have attempted to damage the canvas – twice with a knife and, in 1990, by spraying sulfuric acid.
