Rembrandt’s “night watch“ is one of the most famous images in the world. In Amsterdam, the national Museum, the masterpiece is now restored – before the eyes of the audience as well as via live stream on the Internet.
The “Operation night watch” is the most comprehensive investigation and restoration of the painting by Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), ever. The approximately 17 square meters is the most famous painting in the Netherlands and is located in the Rijksmuseumin Amsterdam. The monumental painting of Amsterdam’s civic guard to Protect shows. Their captain, Frans Banning Cocq, his Lieutenant the order to move out.
Masterpiece in a glass house
“The night watch” (1642) was taken out of the frame and on a specially designed easel made. The painting is now surrounded by a glass room, in which experts on mobile platforms work. The Museum audience can watch everything – and who is not just in Amsterdam, can watch on the Website of the national Museum from 17 clock in the live stream.
It is, in fact, a kind of “Operation”, when the “Patient” is first examined, before the actual intervention to take place: The launch of the project marked on Monday (08.07.2019) a Scan of the painting. In the first phase, the image is analyzed first with the latest technology, scanners, lasers, and microscopes -. The experts expect to find insights into the creative process of the picture, especially the colors that the painter used, from the primer up to the different layers of color.
Localization of pigments
Different pigments in the image, Overpaintings and changes to be accurately localized. Art historians want to find out what is to be painted by Rembrandt himself – and what was perhaps added at a later date. The information you collect should allow the image of the original as possible venture to give you to restore without changing it (more). This task is anything but easy, because the painting was damaged several times and, in consequence, renewed. Alone in the 20. Century, there were three attacks on the image: 1911, 1975 and 1990. Recently restored, the “night watch” was in 1976, after a mentally ill man had damaged the image with knife wounds. The Work was retouching made, which must now be renewed to darken the Museum.
Restore, interpret
That’s restorers are also the interpretation of the artist, had previously occurred, according to Gregor Weber, head of the Department of fine art of the Rijksmuseum, in an Interview with Germany radio culture. In the 17th century. and 18. Century, for example, light-Dark, had been working ratios out to a greater extent, to reinforce a certain mood. Nowadays, such interference would not be made, however, as the art historian.
If all of the in the analysis of the collected information are evaluated, should be begun, the “night watch” now in the 21st century. Century – to restore again. This is mainly to cleansing: Rembrandt’s masterpiece from the 17th century. Century has aged significantly in recent decades. So the dog is in the picture, for example, shows a white stroke, which is now to be carefully examined. Other colors are blurred, shared with the Museum.
Worldwide unique “treatment” of art
Every year, more than two million people visit the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It is home to the world’s largest Rembrandt collection. With the international unprecedented “Operation night watch” to the Museum of art-lovers insight into the usually secret process in the restoration of masterpieces give. This Work behind closed doors to carry out was not an Option, so Gregor Weber in Germany radio culture: “The public would like to know what happens with the image that you want to like so many people and so much to see – there can be no secrets.” With the selected “Operation”, would art lovers, the “night watch” but now even closer than ever before. The “treatment” of the work of art will take at least a year. The cost is estimated to be around three million euros.