Manhood, Marriage, and Mischief: Rembrandt's 'Night Watch' and Other Dutch Group Portraits

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Exploring the comic and ironic elements of seventeenth-century Dutch group portraits, this study delves into the social dynamics of husbands, householders, and civic members depicted in these works. It critically analyzes Rembrandt's "The Night Watch," highlighting anomalies that challenge traditional motifs and questioning the awareness of patrons regarding these subversions. The book examines aesthetic structures, the civic guard's role, and the impact of a mercantile economy on family dynamics, culminating in a nuanced interpretation of performance anxiety and competitive posing within the genre.