The Night Watch by Rembrandt – the story behind the night watch painting

The story behind the Night Watch painting is one that has many twists and turns. In 1911, a down-and-out navy cook sliced the painting with a knife. On September 14, 1975, a Dutch schoolmaster thought he was performing a divine mission by attacking the work. After these attacks, the Night Watch was placed under a permanent guard. In April 1990, an unemployed Dutchman sprayed concentrated sulfuric acid on the painting, causing it to crumble. This time, restoration efforts were able to fix the damage. Now, this work is viewed by more than 2.2 million people each year.