New research has revealed that the barking dog in Rembrandt’s The Night Watch draws directly on an early 17th-century design by Adriaen van de Venne (1590–1662). The discovery emerged from Operation Night Watch, the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of the Dutch master’s most celebrated painting. The drawing, held in the Rijksmuseum collection for over a century, shows a striking resemblance to the canine figure in Rembrandt’s composition.
Taco Dibbits, General Director of the Rijksmuseum, described the finding as “remarkable,” noting that nearly four centuries after its creation, The Night Watch continues to yield fresh insights into Rembrandt’s working methods. Anne Lenders, curator of Operation Night Watch, recalled, “The head, collar, and posture of the dog immediately suggested a connection. Our research has now confirmed that Van de Venne’s drawing was a source of inspiration.”
The parallels are compelling: both dogs tilt their heads upward, mouths slightly parted, with similar eye markings and collar design. Differences are subtle but telling—Rembrandt adjusted the nose, elongated the ears, and added a tongue, while repositioning the body. Hence, the dog stands on all fours rather than lying down as in Van de Venne’s study.
Technical analysis using MA-XRF imaging revealed an underpainted sketch in which the dog’s pose initially mirrored Van de Venne’s more closely, with the chest closer to the ground and the right front leg bent.
Van de Venne’s 1619 drawing depicts the biblical story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, created as a design for a title page of Jacob Cats’s Self-stryt, dat is, Krachtighe beweginghe van Vlees ende Gheest (1620). Beyond the canine, scholars note thematic echoes: Rembrandt’s later Joseph Accused by Potiphar’s Wife (1655) and his 1634 etching Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife reflect compositional gestures and poses reminiscent of those found in Van de Venne’s work.
While it is unclear whether Rembrandt personally owned this particular drawing, he frequently drew on prints and drawings by other artists as references, including the poses of several militiamen in The Night Watch. This discovery underscores how Rembrandt’s process combined careful study of existing works with inventive reinterpretation, revealing the layered sources behind one of art history’s most iconic images.
A History of Rembrandt’s The Night Watch
Rembrandt van Rijn’s The Night Watch (1642) remains one of the most studied and celebrated paintings of the Dutch Golden Age, renowned for its dramatic use of light, movement, and civic portraiture. Commissioned by Amsterdam’s militia company, the Kloveniers, the work captures a moment of organised chaos: militiamen readying themselves for parade, led by Captain Frans Banning Cocq and his lieutenant, Willem van Ruytenburch. Unlike traditional, static group portraits of the period, Rembrandt imbued the scene with theatrical energy, breaking free from formal conventions to create a composition alive with depth and narrative tension.
The painting is notable for its masterful use of chiaroscuro, casting figures in dramatic light while allowing shadows to animate the background. Every character seems caught mid-action, a study in individuality within a collective. The inclusion of symbolic details—a small girl holding a chicken, the presence of weapons and banners—adds layers of allegorical meaning and reflects the civic pride of 17th-century Amsterdam.
Over the centuries, The Night Watch has endured both physical and cultural challenges. It was trimmed in the 18th century to fit a new location, losing portions of the original composition. It survived vandalism, restoration, and relocation, yet remains a centrepiece of the Rijksmuseum collection. Recent scholarship, including Operation Night Watch, has revealed fresh insights into Rembrandt’s process, uncovering preliminary sketches and source materials that informed his design, including influences from earlier drawings and prints.
More than a militia portrait, The Night Watch exemplifies Rembrandt’s ability to merge observation with imagination. It is both a civic document and a work of cinematic intensity, bridging the realms of the real and the theatrical. Nearly 400 years after its completion, the painting continues to inspire scholars, artists, and the public alike, offering a glimpse into the technical brilliance and narrative innovation that define Rembrandt’s legacy.