Night Watch: More Than Just Keeping an Eye Out in the Dark
The phrase "Night Watch" brings to mind shadowy figures in darkness. These figures stand as vigilant guardians against hidden threats. However, it also touches various realms of art and pop culture, from thrilling films to striking paintings and fantasy tales. This topic is deeper and more varied than you might first think.
Night Watch (1972 Movie): Elizabeth Taylor and a Window to Suspense
Let’s start with the movie "Night Watch." Released in 1972, it starred the iconic Elizabeth Taylor. Picture this: a quiet evening with a drink in hand. Suddenly, you see a murder unfold through your neighbor's window. This is the exact situation Ellen Wheeler faces, played by Taylor, in "Night Watch."
Ellen leads a troubled life. She's labeled an "unhappy housewife." She often resorts to a drink while watching from her window to calm her nerves. One night, her routine observation spirals into alarm when she suspects a murder in a nearby residence.
Feeling even more uneasy, Ellen confides in her friend Sarah, portrayed by Billie Whitelaw. Sarah shows reluctance at first but becomes more open to Ellen’s fears. Together they start their own investigation. Questions loom: was there really a murder? Or is Ellen losing her grip on reality? Click play to unravel the mystery.
By the way, in early 1972 while filming "Night Watch," Taylor celebrated her 40th birthday. At that age, she still dominated the screen. Her presence and talent proved that age means little for an icon confronting on-screen mysteries.
The Night Watch (Painting) by Rembrandt van Rijn: A Revolutionary Group Portrait
Now, let’s transition from movies to art. Rembrandt van Rijn's "The Night Watch" stands out in art history. Painted during the Dutch Golden Age, this artwork serves as more than a simple group portrait of city guards. It reshaped the entire art world and sparks fascination even centuries later.
Controversy and Originality: Rembrandt Breaks the Mold
This masterpiece's entry was controversial. It created an uproar because Rembrandt shattered the artistic conventions of his time. Group portraits often followed strict rules, showing subjects evenly positioned for equal attention. Rembrandt decided differently.
He painted these militiamen in a lively action scene, filled with vitality. Unlike traditional posed portraits, he broke up the composition. Each figure appears absorbed in his role within the unfolding scenario. Rembrandt captured a moment of chaos just before a parade.
Additionally, Rembrandt expertly used light and shadow contrasts, a technique called tenebrism. He highlighted important figures, such as the ensign with the flag, while casting others into shadow. This approach was unusual for group portraits of this era, which typically aimed for equal visibility.
The result is dynamic; it feels like a real event unfolding before viewers’ eyes. These subjects aren’t just paintings; they embody characters in a story, each playing a part. Rembrandt essentially made a 17th-century movie still, capturing energy in motion.
Name and Appearance: From Daylight to "Night"
The title "The Night Watch" wasn't its original name. The nickname evolved due to misconceptions over time and varnishing. The painting darkened substantially, creating a nighttime vibe. For centuries, dark varnish caused shadows to deepen, leading many to believe it depicted a night scene.
Yet it actually presents a daytime moment. The dark coating was applied long after Rembrandt's era and misled viewers. Fortunately, conservators removed the varnish in the 1940s. This restored the vibrant colors Rembrandt intended initially. So while popularly named "The Night Watch," it accurately reflects a "Day Watch" that experienced a long dark period.
Interpretations and Symbolism: More Than Just Militiamen
This painting goes beyond merely portraying armed men; it is rich in symbolism and historical significance. It shows the Amsterdam civic militia, particularly Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenburch’s company. These militias were vital to defending the Dutch Republic, symbolizing organized military strength emerging in 17th-century independence.
Moreover, "The Night Watch" illustrates collective responsibility and solidarity—key values for citizens during conflicts. It visually captures civic pride and the community's commitment to work together for a shared cause.
Amidst this array of men stands an intriguing girl dressed in gold. She's no random figure; she clutches a chicken tied at her waist. This odd detail is significant. The golden claw represented musketeers' emblem then, while the Dutch word for claw sounds like "clover." Thus, the girl symbolizes the whole musketeer company in a whimsical manner, showcasing Rembrandt's ability to inject personality into a military representation.
Historical Context: The Kloveniersdoelen
Understanding "The Night Watch" requires familiarity with the Kloveniersdoelen. Here gathered the Amsterdam city militia known as “kloveniers,” meaning shooters in Dutch. The term "doelen" translates to targets. Armed with early muskets nicknamed "klover," this name stems from the French word "couleuvrine." The militiamen commissioned "The Night Watch" to adorn the Kloveniersdoelen, joining other portraits of various companies. This painting was designed for their hall, showcasing city defenders and their civic duties.
Artistic Techniques: Tenebrism in Action
Rembrandt’s "The Night Watch," measuring about 363 by 437 centimeters (approximately 12 by 14.5 feet), is renowned for its dramatic light and shadow work known as tenebrism. Derived from Italian "tenebroso," meaning dark or shadowy, it emphasizes strong contrast between bright and dark areas. Dark spaces dominate while figures emerge from shadows in pools of light.
By using tenebrism, Rembrandt transformed an expected group portrait into compelling drama. This interplay of light and dark evokes movement, urgency, and energy within the painting. It makes this artwork engaging compared to standard portraits of its time.
Unsurprisingly, "The Night Watch" is an oil painting. Like many masters of his era, Rembrandt concentrated on oil paints for vivid colors and nuanced textures.
Gradations exist. The ability to refine details over time matters. Oil paint serves well for dramatic lighting and intricate details in this artwork.
Conspiracy Theories: Greenaway's Take
"The Night Watch" inspired conspiracy theories, largely due to Peter Greenaway. Greenaway, a film director, crafted "Nightwatching" in 2007. This film dives into a fictional interpretation of events surrounding the painting's creation, hinting at a militia-based conspiracy, even murder. Greenaway’s take offers intriguing layers to "The Night Watch," showcasing its influence on creative narratives.
Rembrandt's Involvement: A Hidden Self-Portrait
Rembrandt infused "The Night Watch" with personal touches. In the upper left, near Captain Banning Cocq, an eye emerges from shadows. Art historians suggest it’s Rembrandt’s. Similar to Jan van Eyck in "The Arnolfini Portrait," Rembrandt embeds his likeness in the scene. This clever touch displays the artist’s ego and presence, a silent mark amidst action.
Special Significance: Action in a Group Portrait
"The Night Watch" by Rembrandt holds importance in art history. It changed the approach to group portraiture. For the first time, figures appear in action within a group portrait. Instead of static poses, civic guardsmen show readiness to march out. This innovation injects life into a typically rigid genre. It sets new standards for group portraits and influences future artists.
The Night's Watch (Game of Thrones): Guardians of the Wall
We shift to fantasy with "The Night's Watch" from George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire," made popular by "Game of Thrones." Here, the Night's Watch differs from Rembrandt’s militiamen, yet both share vigilance and defense in their tasks.
In Westeros, the Night's Watch is a military order with one critical job: guard the Wall. This giant ice structure lines the Seven Kingdoms' northern border. The Night's Watch protects against wildlings and the White Walkers, becoming the first defense against threats beyond the Wall.
When "Game of Thrones" starts, the Night's Watch has lost its former strength. Once powerful and respected, it now faces dwindling numbers and influence. Attacks from wildlings and White Walkers lessen its ranks. Desertion troubles the order. Resources are low, and they struggle to fulfill their ancient duty.
The inspiration for this Night's Watch comes from various sources. Some cite the Knights Templar’s warrior ethos, but the Night's Watch resembles more institutionalized border wardens. Hadrian's Wall stands as the primary real-world inspiration, paralleling "The Wall" in Westeros. Just as Hadrian's Wall signified the Roman Empire's northern borders, "The Wall" separates civilization from wild lands.
Night's Watch members take a solemn oath that shapes their lives and duties. It starts with: “Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death..." This vow stresses sacrifice and a lifelong commitment to the Watch, requiring them to forsake personal goals for the realm's defense.
Eddison Tollett, known as "Edd," plays a significant role too. A loyal but cynical member, Edd rises to Lord Commander after Jon Snow's ascendance. He fights alongside Jon and the remaining Watchmen during the Battle of Winterfell, tragically dying while protecting Samwell.
Jon Snow’s bond with the Night's Watch is complex. He seeks purpose and honor but faces conflicts with the order’s traditions. His choice to ally with the Wildlings is seen as betrayal by many in the Watch. They fear it invites humanity's downfall, blurring enemy lines.
Alliser Thorne serves as an antagonist in Jon's story within the Watch. He resents Jon due to history. After King’s Landing fell in Robert’s Rebellion, he chose to "take the black" or face execution by Tywin Lannister. Since Ned Stark led the rebellion that caused Thorne's exile, this likely fuels Thorne’s disdain for Jon.
Night Watch (Novel) by Jayne Anne Phillips: Post-Civil War Trauma
Lastly, we explore Jayne Anne Phillips' novel "Night Watch." This Pulitzer Prize-nominated book shifts from fantasy to historical fiction set post-Civil War. Though realistic, it is a work of fiction, not a true story.
The novel occurs in a West Virginia asylum after the Civil War. This setting is central to its narrative, reflecting the nation's fractured state and enduring psychological wounds. Phillips examines themes of war trauma and individual recovery amid chaos. The asylum mirrors a society facing collective trauma, and the "night watch" symbolizes vigilance against insecurity and darkness.
Through characters and their stories, "Night Watch" showcases personal and societal wounds from the Civil War. It poignantly explores human resilience and memory while pondering conflict's long shadows on lives.
From Elizabeth Taylor at a window to Rembrandt's bold strokes; from Westeros' frozen Wall to haunted post-Civil War asylums, "Night Watch" serves as evocative terminology. Each interpretation gives unique insights about vigilance and contrasts between light and shadow, both literally and metaphorically.
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