Rembrandt’s Night Watch under the microscope

Actor Nasrdin Dchar trains Experience The Night Watch visitors through the painting, unraveling the hidden stories of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq and his men. Where is Rembrandt hidden? Who is the girl? Learn about the history of the cloth, find hidden symbols and find out who the flag bearer is.

Did you know, for example, that Rembrandt himself can be found in the painting? And that in 1715 an unknown painter added a shield to the canvas with the names of eighteen men who were part of the company. In the same year, a large part of the Night Watch was cut off because it would not fit between two columns in Amsterdam’s city hall. As a result, the current painting is about sixty centimeters lower and narrower than when Rembrandt completed the canvas.

Internet users can listen to and view these and many more interesting facts on the interactive site. Choose a virtual highlights tour or discover different themes in the masterpiece such as ‘Who is who?’, ‘Present’, or ‘Composition’. There is also a special children’s tour and an English-language tour.