The Night Watch

The painter of this piece is Rembrandt van Rijin, a Dutch painter.

The lighting in this piece is very dark, except for the luminescence of one young girl. The men are all fully equipped with weapons, as if they are about to enter war. The little girl may be lit up brightly in the picture to showcase her innocence. Among all the grown men and their deadly weapons, there is an innocent looking girl with a chicken. There is also a dog on the floor; however, the color of the dog almost blends in with the color of the floor. The dark coloring of the painting makes the background almost unnoticeable, but what the men are standing in front of seems to be large building, possibly a castle of some sort. It can be inferred that the man standing front and center is the commander or captain, as he is painted closest to the viewers. He is also in the very center of all the men with a clearly drawn face, while some of the other faces are blurry and unrecognizable.

This painting was unique because other portraits of militiamen during this time were paintings of the men in neat rows, or in a banquet. However, this portrait portrays the soldiers all ready for combat.

This painting was for the general public.

The painter’s purpose of painting the soldiers was accomplished.