Overview
- Researchers conclude Rembrandt likely used van de Venne’s 1619 dog as a model for an initial sketch in The Night Watch.
- Curator Anne Lenders first noticed the match after seeing the drawing in another museum, then confirmed it through direct comparison and imaging.
- Special X-ray images show the underdrawing resembles van de Venne’s motif more closely than the dog as finally painted.
- The source image appeared on the title page of a popular 1619 book and is held in the Rijksmuseum’s collection, enabling precise study.
- The finding emerged from Operation Nachtwache, the Rijksmuseum’s ongoing public conservation project launched in 2019.