It was always suspected that it existed. And now, the preparatory drawing of The night watch, one of Rembrandt’s masterpieces (1606-1669), was unearthed during the restoration work that has been underway for more than two years at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The drawing allows us to better understand Rembrandt’s approach to composition, which he traced directly on the canvas. The Dutch painter applied a brown undercoat and then employed a beige paint with a high chalk content to make the first drawing. “The discovery of the sketch represents a turning point in this investigation: we always suspected that Rembrandt had made a sketch on the canvas before embarking on this incredibly complex composition, but we had no proof. We are now able to look under the surface of the paint better than at any other time and we have the evidence we were looking for, giving a real understanding, for the first time, of how the painting was made, ”said the director of the Dutch museum. Taco Dibbits.
Another perspective on Rembrandt’s work
The discovery ofunderdrawingDibbits explained, it was only possible thanks to new technologies that allow you to look through the layers of paint and analyze in detail the materials used by Rembrandt. An ink has also been identified that Rembrandt has never used in any other work. “Each new detail offers us another perspective on Rembrandt’s creative process, making us understand his original idea and his artistic choices,” Dibbits emphasized. Launched in July 2019, the restoration and research project on the monumental painting is the largest and most ambitious ever of the Rijksmuseum. The oil on canvas work shows the Amsterdam guard led by Captain Frans Banning Cocq and is part of the great tradition of collective portraits that emerged in the so-called golden age of Dutch art.