So I finally got to visit the Rijksmuseum recently, with Rembrandt’s The Night Watch my first point of call. I’d got there early so was alone in front of the glass box that is the restoration room. It was, I confess, a little disappointing not to see it unencumbered.
The original painting was much larger then cut down on 3 sides to fit into a different space. Unfortunately those offcuts have never been found. Rembrandt was already famous so they would have been valuable, even as fragments.
It remains a powerful atmospheric piece even under restoration. You can see the creases from when it was rolled up and moved as well as the areas still under treatment.
As with any detailed study, more has been discovered including the differing quality of materials (the dog at the bottom on the right for example, was painted using much cheaper pigment).
Other paintings that I wanted to see included this early self-portrait.
I was able to get really close to see his technique which included using the end of his brush to scratch out curls through wet paint. To think he was only 22 years old when he painted this.
A new painting for me was this highly finished portrait of a wealthy woman, possibly Maria Trip.
The level of detail and precision is breathtaking.
