New research reveals Rembrandt did not paint 'Night Watch' outdoors
New research has challenged the long-held belief that Rembrandt van Rijn’s iconic painting, The Night Watch, was created in the courtyard of his home on Jodenbreestraat in Amsterdam. Leonore van Sloten, a curator at the Rembrandt House Museum, explained that recent findings dispute this theory.
"There were no dust particles or insects found in the paint, which you would expect if it had been painted outdoors," van Sloten said. This lack of environmental elements suggests that The Night Watch was not created in the courtyard as previously thought.
Van Sloten proposed an alternative location for the painting’s creation: the bel-etage, the first floor at the back of Rembrandt’s home. "This space is large and high enough to accommodate the massive painting," she added.
The discovery regarding the location of The Night Watch’s creation is one of several new insights based on recent research. The painting, which measures over 12 feet high and nearly 15 feet wide, has had a tumultuous history, being relocated multiple times throughout the centuries. At least twelve moves have been documented since its creation 380 years ago.
One of the mysteries of the painting’s history involves the decision to trim parts of the canvas in 1715. According to historical reports, the painting was cut to fit through two doors of the City Hall on the Dam, now the Royal Palace. More than a fifth of the painting was removed, but new research raises doubts about the necessity of this action. "We studied the blueprints of the City Hall with conservator Alice Taatgen, but there’s only one door shown on the plans," said Jean van Dijk, one of the researchers. "Why was the painting cut?"
The large size of The Night Watch—weighing 337 kilograms (about 743 pounds) with its frame—has always made its transportation a challenge. Despite its size and weight, the painting has survived numerous relocations, including times when it was rolled up and stored in bunkers and caves, or even left outdoors in strange conditions.
