Art historians have made a remarkable discovery about one of the world's most famous paintings nearly 400 years after its creation. Researchers at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum have found evidence that Rembrandt van Rijn copied a dog from another artist's work when creating his masterpiece "The Night Watch." The finding emerged during a comprehensive study of the iconic 1642 painting, which depicts Amsterdam's civic guard and measures approximately 12.5 feet high by 14.9 feet wide.
The discovery was made by chance when art historian and curator Anne Lenders spotted striking similarities between the dog in Rembrandt's painting and a drawing by Adriaen van de Venne (1590-1662). Lenders first noticed the connection while viewing van de Venne's drawing at a different museum, immediately thinking of the dog featured in "The Night Watch." Further investigation confirmed her initial suspicions about the remarkable resemblance between the two artworks.
Detailed analysis revealed that the dog's head, collar, and pose in both works show extraordinary similarities, suggesting that Rembrandt used van de Venne's earlier drawing as a direct model. The van de Venne drawing is also part of the Rijksmuseum's collection, making the connection even more intriguing for researchers studying the museum's holdings. This finding adds new insight into Rembrandt's creative process and his willingness to draw inspiration from contemporary artists' works.
Museum Director Taco Dibbits expressed amazement at the discovery, stating that "it is particularly special that new discoveries are still being made about one of the world's most studied paintings almost 400 years later." The revelation highlights how even extensively researched masterpieces can still yield new secrets about their creation and the artistic practices of their time.
"The Night Watch" remains Rembrandt van Rijn's (1606-1669) most famous work and one of the Netherlands' most recognizable cultural treasures. The painting has been the subject of countless studies, restorations, and analyses throughout its history, making this new discovery all the more significant for art historians and museum professionals worldwide. The finding demonstrates that artistic borrowing and inspiration between contemporaries was a common practice during the Dutch Golden Age, providing fresh context for understanding how master painters developed their compositions.
