The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam will livestream the restoration of Rembrandt’s masterpiece ‘The Night Watch’ in July 2019.
The public will be able to watch the entire process at the museum and online. The Night Watch will be displayed in a state-of-the-art clear glass chamber designed by the French architect Jean Michel Wilmotte. A digital platform will allow viewers from all over the world to follow the restoration process online.
Taco Dibbits, General Director Rijksmuseum, said: “The Night Watch is one of the most famous paintings in the world. It belongs to us all, and that is why we have decided to conduct the restoration within the museum itself – and everyone, wherever they are, will be able to follow the process online.”
The restoration is necessary after the museum noticed changes such as the blanching on the dog figure at the lower right of the painting. A detailed study will be carried out to determine the best treatment plan.
High-tech methods will be used to form a detailed picture of the painting – including each layer.
The Night Watch is recognised as one of the most important works of art in the world today and hangs in the specially designed “Gallery of Honour” at the Rijksmuseum.
This summer, the Museum of London livestreamed a piece of the Whitechapel fatberg to viewers. The fatberg is a highly toxic pieces of sewage that blocked sewers under Whitechapel. It is stored in quarantine at the museum’s store, alongside artefacts from across London’s history.
Rijksmuseum is well known for its collection of Rembrandt works, which consistently draw huge crowds.
Image courtesy Rijksmuseum
