The Night Watch

In the pictureAt the center of the picture, a captain in black with a red sash strides forward with his hand outstretched, and to his right his lieutenant, in a whitish-yellow costume, walks beside him holding a lance. The shadow of the captain's outstretched hand falls on the lieutenant's coat. At the left a man in red handles a musket, and behind him a girl in gold catches the light. Behind them, men in helmets and hats gather with lances and a flag, and at the far right are a drummer and a dog. Under the arch at the upper center hangs a shield-shaped plaque.

BackgroundCompleted in 1642, the painting was commissioned by Amsterdam's arquebusiers' militia to hang in their hall. It shows the company led by Captain Frans Banninck Cocq and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburch. Where group portraits usually lined people up side by side, this one was new in showing them in motion just before setting out. The name "The Night Watch" was given after the varnish darkened; it is actually a daytime scene. When it was moved to the town hall in 1715, the edges, especially on the left, were cut down to fit the wall.

Puzzle tipIt is a large painting, more than 3.6 meters high, so a generous piece count suits it. The bright areas are concentrated in the center, so assemble the lieutenant's yellow costume and white sash, the captain's white collar and red sash, and the girl's gold dress first. Next, attach the man in red, the yellow drum at the right, and the faces of the militiamen one by one. In the upper half, lance shafts cross the dark walls and columns diagonally, so fill it in by following the lines of the shafts and the flag. The recommended piece count is about 300.