Rijksmuseum

De Nachtwacht

Date

1642

Medium

canvas, oil paint (paint)

Culture

Amsterdam

Institution

Rijksmuseum

Rembrandt’s largest, most famous canvas was made for the Arquebusiers guild hall. This was one of several halls of Amsterdam’s civic guard, the city’s militia and police. Rembrandt was the first to paint figures in a group portrait actually doing something. The captain, dressed in black, is telling his lieutenant to start the company marching. 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 background. She was the company mascot.

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