Artist: Rembrandt | Year (completed): 1642 | Movement: Dutch Golden Age
The Night Watch, a painting by Rembrandt, is arguably the most well-known of his works. It depicts a militia company, units of physically fit men who might be called upon to defend the city or quell riots if needed. The company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and his lieutenant, Willem van Ruytenburgh, are shown in the artwork encircled by sixteen of their men. The final picture is today acknowledged as one of the most significant pieces of art ever produced. It's displayed in a specially constructed room at the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands.