Scene
The painting shows a civic guard company preparing to march out of the city. Instead of standing in rows, the militiamen are in vigorous motion, turning and gesturing as if they are just starting to move.
The Night Watch
Rembrandt
1642
Figures
Captain Frans Banning Cocq and his lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburch lead the group and are strongly illuminated to catch the viewer's eye. Around them, other militiamen handle their weapons while an ensign carries the colors and a drummer prepares to beat the signal.
Symbolism
A young girl in a pale dress carries a chicken with prominent claws, which refers to the golden claw emblem of the musketeers. She is understood as a personification of the company itself rather than a portrait of a specific person.
Craft
Rembrandt uses chiaroscuro, or strong contrasts of light and dark, to model forms and direct attention to the key figures. Selective highlights emerge from a generally dark setting to create a dramatic effect.
Impact
The work revolutionized the Dutch group portrait by replacing static likenesses with a dynamic, narrative scene. It is now regarded as a masterpiece of the Dutch Golden Age and a landmark in Baroque painting.
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