How We Are Removing Varnish From The Night Watch

What’s going on with the drummer?! In the bottom right corner of The Night Watch, you’ll find a remarkable figure: Jacob Jorisz, the drummer. Though he didn’t pay for a place in the painting, Rembrandt gave him a key role. But why does he look… unwell today? The answer lies in the varnish, the transparent top layer that saturates colours, adds gloss, and protects the paint beneath. Over time, varnish can become yellow and dull, altering the appearance of Rembrandt’s masterpiece. That’s why, during Operation Night Watch, experts are carefully removing the old varnish to reveal the original vibrancy of Rembrandt’s palette. In this video, Ige Verslype, Alba Álvarez Martín, and Pieter Roelofs from the Rijksmuseum take you behind the scenes of this extraordinary conservation project. From using microfibre cloths and organic solvents to applying advanced scientific research and microscopic tools, you’ll discover the precise, delicate process of restoring one of the world’s most iconic paintings. 🔔 Subscribe and click the bell icon to get more Rijksmuseum content every two weeks: @rijksmuseumamsterdam ℹ️ Learn more about Operation Night Watch: https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/stories/operation-night-watch 💌 Subscribe to the Rijksmuseum newsletter to receive art and inspiration straight to your inbox: https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/interests/subscribe-to-the-rijksmuseum-newsletter #rembrandt #nightwatch #rijksmuseum #amsterdam 00:00 Intro 00:25 Who Is the Drummer? 00:50 Aged Varnish 01:03 What Is Varnish? 01:15 How Is Varnish Removed? 01:40 Researching Safe Methods to Remove Varnish 02:01 Hierarchy in The Night Watch 02:29 The Residues 03:05 Cotton Fibres in the Varnish 03:31 Outro