The second phase of Operation Night Watch is underway at Rijksmuseum.
Photo: Rijksmuseum/Henk Wildschut
Multi-year Restoration of Rembrandt’s The Night Watch Begins
A team of Rijksmuseum conservators will work in a glass chamber ensuring the process is visible to the public
The process involves a special tissue prepared with a solvent. Photo: Rijksmuseum/Henk Wildschut
A team of eight Rijksmuseum conservators began the process of removing layers of varnish from Rembrandt’s The Night Watch this week, marking the start of the second phase of a years-long restoration process. Operation Night Watch, which is being conducted in a see-through glass chamber visible to the public, will ensure that the team is able to preserve the masterpiece for generations to come.
Prior to the start, the team had spent five years using digital imaging, technical studies, scientific experiments, and even AI to understand the painting’s condition and Rembrandt’s technique. Now, the team is using a special type of tissue prepared with a solvent to remove the varnish layers that were applied during a 1975-1976 restoration. They’ll then use a microscope and cotton swabs to detect any remaining remnants of older varnish left behind.
“The start of the restoration phase is filled with anticipation: removing the varnish will expose the eventful history of The Night Watch, and it will be a truly unique experience for the public to be able to follow the process from so close by,” says Taco Dibbits, Director of Rijksmuseum.
The Night Watch, completed in 1642 and commissioned by Militia Company of District II for it’s headquarters, is Rembrandt’s largest and one of his most famous works. It marked the first time an artist painted figures in a group portrait depicting movement, with Rembrandt using light and shadow to depict different actions. In this scene, the captain is instructing his lieutenant to start the company marching, with the guardsman getting into formation.
See more photos below:
Restoration is underway. Photo: Rijksmuseum/Henk Wildschut
A team of eight is working on phase two of the restoration process. Photo: Rijksmuseum/Henk Wildschut
Cover: The second phase of Operation Night Watch is underway at Rijksmuseum.
Photo: Rijksmuseum/Henk Wildschut
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