The night round dog spotted in a period drawing

One of the sources of inspiration for The night round De Rembrandt was identified a few days ago by Anne Lenders, curator of Dutch painting from the eighteenth century at the Rijksmuseum, during a visit to the Zeeuws Museum in Middelburg. “It was completely unexpected. I was walking in the gallery of the exhibition dedicated to Adriaen Van de Venne when my gaze landed on a book by Jacob Cats with a dog represented on it … The night round came to my mind “she explains. The visual comparison then revealed a striking similarity between the canvas dog and that of illustration.

To confirm this hypothesis, a study was conducted on chalk sketches visible under the pictorial layer of The night round and the drawing of Van de Venne, engraved by François Schillemans for the title page of the book Self-stry (1620) from Jacob Cats.

This dog, little evoked in the analysis of the composition, is at the bottom right of the group portrait painted by Rembrandt in 1642. The pattern is taken up almost identical: open mouth, angle of the gaze, squatting and medal on the neck.

Rembrandt had a large collection of drawings and engravings. The inventory established in 1656 attests to his interest in the works of his contemporaries and for illustrated collections. This practice nourished its use of pre -existing graphic models and their integration into its own compositions.

For researchers, discovery confirms the importance of sources printed in the painter’s work. “Rembrandt, like the great Italian masters, was inspired by the artists who preceded him to create his own compositions”recalls Taco Dibbits, director of Rijksmuseum, before emphasizing: “It is surprising that almost 400 years after its creation, new discoveries continue to be made on one of the most studied paintings in the world. »»

Finally, it appears that the painting Joseph accused by Putiphar’s wife (1655) also takes up certain patterns of Vanne’s drawing, notably the male figure in the center of the composition.