The Night Watch

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/the-night-watch

1. When was The Night Watch born?
2. When did The Night Watch die?
3. What is the artist?
4. What is the year created?
5. What is 'The Night Watch' and why is it special?
6. Why does the painting look like it's happening at night even though it was painted during the day?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was The Night Watch born?1606
2. When did The Night Watch die?1669
3. What is the artist?Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn
4. What is the year created?1642
5. What is 'The Night Watch' and why is it special?It is a huge painting by Rembrandt that shows a city guard in action. The picture is famous because it looks like a real moment, not just a still portrait.
6. Why does the painting look like it's happening at night even though it was painted during the day?Later, dark layers of varnish covered the painting, making it look darker. This gave people the idea that it was painted at night, so they called it "The Night Watch."

Chiaroscuro: An artistic technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume, drama, and three-dimensionality.
Civic Guard: A militia composed of citizens responsible for maintaining order and defending a city, prominent in the Dutch Republic.
Allegory: The use of symbols and imagery to represent abstract ideas or principles, often with a moral or political message.