A Quest of Genius, Rembrandt was an excellent storyteller, portrayer of several scenes embedding drama from theatre, and the greatest director of all time through his canvases. Among all the finest painters, Rembrandt remained ‘the miracle of the age (nostrae aetatis miraculum) as he was famous at his age due to his inventive compositions. Being such a celebrated artist comes with myths and more trumped-up stories. One such which has recently been revealed through research is that the masterpiece Night Watch by the artist isn’t painted in the backyard of his home.
In the new NH podcast, ‘The Travels of the Night Watch’ released on February 25, 2025, new research shows that the painting must have been painted somewhere else instead of the backyard theory. Leonore van Sloten, curator at the Rembrandt House Museum says,
“New research shows that this cannot be true. No dust or insects were found in the paint. That should be the case if the theory were correct.”
The Night Watch symbolizes a powerful culmination of all that has come before while heralding a new beginning. In this, arguably his most famous work, Rembrandt reveals astonishing and captivating virtuosity, leaving a lasting impact. The exquisite details—the brilliantly gleaming metal, shimmering fabrics, and various pieces of equipment—combined with expressive facial features, precise gestures, and striking lighting effects, showcase the highest form of artistic achievement. Here, the possibilities of representational art have been fully realized.
The biggest question is still where Rembrandt painted this masterpiece, which is a mystery. However, Van Sloten does have an idea. She says,
“We do have a theory. A plausible place is the bel-etage at the back of the house, that place is large and high enough for the enormous painting.”
The Storyteller of the NH podcast, Jean van Dijk from Huizen, and journalist Petra de Beij from Hilversum investigated how the painting moved from one place to another in all those years. Through their investigation, it is now known that the composition changed at least twelve times since it was made 380 years ago.
The search further yields several important yet unknown details about the painting. Besides the location where the masterpiece was made, it is a mystery why the pieces of the painting were cut off. Shortened in 1715 to fit between the two doors of the Town Hall on Dam Square- the current Royal Palace on Dam Square, The Night Watch was cut for the fifth time at this time. The podcast makers give a detailed review of the composition. In addition to being moved several times, The Night Watch has also been rolled up in a bunker in the dunes, hidden in a tube in a cold cave while spending the night outdoors in a strange place.
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