Rembrandt&rsquos most celebrated masterpiece and probably one of the most popular of artworks till date, 'The Night Watch' will be the highlight of 2019 or as they are calling it 'The Year of Rembrandt'. Next year will mark the 350th anniversary of Rembrandt's death and the museum will host two major exhibitions in its honour. From February 15 to June 10, 2019, the museum will showcase the entire collection of the great painter, for the first time ever. The restoration work on 'The Night Watch' will begin after the first exhibition but museum visitors won't miss the painting as the restoration work will take place inside the museum, safely behind a state-of-the-art clear glass chamber, allowing visitors to see the work in progress. A digital platform will allow viewers to watch the entire process online. The second exhibition will showcase Rembrandt's and the 17th-century Spanish painter Diego Velázquez's works (October 11 to January 19, 2020) together.
'The Night's Watch' is Rembrandt's first and only painting of the militia group of District II and is celebrated mainly for its composition and the way 'motion' is shown in the painting. It has been the pride of the Rijksmuseum since 1808.
It's been more than 40 years since the last restoration work on 'The Night's Watch'. Whether you are a fan of art or not, this kind of restoration work on an artwork of such great importance is not something common. Don't miss it for anything.