Rembrandt’s J’Accuse

In 1642, Rembrandt completed “The Night Watch”, his most famous painting. The commissioned work of art depicts the members of the citizen’s militia that helped to defend Amsterdam in times of trouble. At that time, the Dutch capital was one of the wealthiest cities in Europe, home to various rich and powerful families, and Rembrandt had a reputation as a respectable and popular painter. After completion of “The Night Watch,” however, everything went downhill for the artist, both personally and financially.

Looking for an explanation for this reversal of fortune, Peter Greenaway plunges into the history of the Golden Age and discovers murder and conspiracy. In his own theatrical and intelligent manner, he dissects history with the help of dramatizations and split screen editing. Highlighting apparently trivial and hidden details in the painting, he argues that Rembrandt was aware of what had happened.

With the director serving the dual role of tour guide and detective, a world is revealed in which the image is more important than the spoken word, and where only one conclusion is possible: “The Night Watch” should be considered a downright accusation.