Seeing 'Night Watch' in a new light
A security guard stands next to Rembrandt's "Night Watch" painting, illuminated by newly installed LED lights in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Oct. 26, 2011) Credit: AP
The change at the national Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is startling, as characters once barely visible now stand out in vivid color.
The 1642 painting was commissioned for one of Amsterdam's citizen militias and is officially titled "The Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch."
Museum director Wim Pijbes said the painting -- widely considered Rembrandt's greatest may have acquired the "Night Watch" title because of a dark varnish that was removed decades ago. More than a million tourists see the painting annually.
