Rembrant’s The Night Watch is a complex and painstakingly detailed work of art, but the classic masterpiece has got some competition from its newest neighbor at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
After a decade-long renovation, which saw Rijksmuseum nearly completely refurbished, reorganized and rebuilt, the museum unveiled a new installation in the antechambers of The Night Watch gallery. Looking up, visitors will see the antechambers’ ceilings have been transformed into a swirling sky of stars thanks to Glasgow-based artist Richard Wright. Wright has painted 47,000 perfectly proportioned black stars directly on the antechambers’ architecture, creating a dizzying but gorgeous optical installation that is a natural complement Rembrant’s famous work.
Of course, hand painting 47,000 stars is no easy task. The artist and his team spent two months lying flat on their backs, filling in the outline of 6-point stars with black paint. The effort was worth it, though. Unlike Wright’s Turner Prize-winning Gold Leaf fresco that was covered with white emulsion after the close of the exhibition, the stars will remain in the antechambers permanently. Or at least until the Rijksmuseum decides it’s time for another overhaul.
All photos: Vincent Mentzel
