A recent study suggests that the dog featured in Rembrandt van Rijn’s iconic painting, “The Night Watch,” may have been inspired by an illustration from a book on human temptations. This research highlights how the familiar figure in the artwork connects to a widely accessible print created by the Dutch artist and poet Adriaen van de Venne.
“The Night Watch,” painted in 1642, is currently undergoing a public restoration at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. According to Anne Lenders, the museum’s curator of 17th-century Dutch paintings, the resemblance between the dog in Rembrandt’s work and the depiction in Van de Venne’s book became apparent during her visit to an exhibition at the Zeeuws Museum in Middelburg last year. Lenders recalled, “As soon as I saw that dog, ‘The Night Watch’ dog came into my mind — I recognized it by the turn of the head.”
To delve deeper into this connection, researchers employed macro X-ray fluorescence scans to examine a chalk underdrawing of “The Night Watch.” Their findings revealed striking similarities between the two dogs, although Rembrandt modified his version significantly. In the final painting, he presents the dog in a dynamic stance on all fours, its tongue out as if barking at a large drum.
Lenders noted, “It’s very clever how Rembrandt adjusted his dog, putting it in an active stance, vigilant and alert. At any moment, his dog could run away, and this strengthens the living quality of the painting. It feels like something could happen at any moment and the dog plays a very important role.”
In addition to the dog, Lenders pointed out that a figure from the same illustration shares similarities with a character from another of Rembrandt’s works, “Joseph Accused by Potiphar’s Wife,” painted in 1655 and housed in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. This connection underscores the influence of Van de Venne’s prints on Rembrandt’s artistic development.
Taco Dibbits, director of the Rijksmuseum, elaborated on the concept of artistic inspiration in Rembrandt’s time. He explained that what modern audiences might label as “copying” was a fundamental part of an artist’s training and a demonstration of cultural knowledge. Dibbits emphasized, “He didn’t want people to call him Rembrandt van Rijn, but just Rembrandt, like Michelangelo. And he really wanted, just like the Italians, to be that learned artist who based himself on prints from his predecessors, who could copy so incredibly well and know them so intimately that he developed them further.”
This research not only sheds light on the creative processes of one of the world’s most celebrated painters but also illustrates the interconnectedness of art across different mediums and time periods. As “The Night Watch” continues its restoration journey, it stands as a testament to Rembrandt’s ability to transform influences into something uniquely his own.