Museum in Amsterdam shows spectacular photo of Rembrandt work

Down to the smallest detail
Museum in Amsterdam shows spectacular high-tech photo of Rembrandt’s “Night Watch”

The Amsterdam Rijksmuseum published on Monday on its website the most detailed photo to date of the masterpiece by the Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn (1606 – 1669). “It is the largest and most detailed photo ever taken of a work of art,” said the museum. The image has a size of 717 gigapixels. Thanks to the high-tech photos, scientists and art lovers can now marvel at every little detail of “Die Nachtwache”.

According to the museum, 8430 individual photos were taken of the painting using specially developed technology and software, each 5.5 centimeters by 4.1 centimeters in size. “These were put together into one large image with the help of artificial intelligence,” announced the museum. The photo is part of the largest research and restoration program currently running, “Operation Night Watch”. Rembrandt completed the picture of the Amsterdam Civil Guard in 1642. It is about 380 inches high and 453 inches wide.

Restoration in Amsterdam should happen in front of an audience

The photo with the extremely high resolution is primarily intended to help art historians and restorers. “We can now see every pigment in every little crack,” said Katrien Keune, scientific director of the Rijksmuseum, the radio station NOS. It is also the basis for future restorations. “It’s a very nice, detailed snapshot that we can use over the long term to see how things are changing.”

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The restoration is to begin in the exhibition hall in front of the public on January 19th. However, due to the lockdown, the museum with its world-famous collection of Dutch masterpieces from the 17th century is temporarily closed until January 15th.

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dpa