Guess this Painting

Rep to be expected.

De Nachtwacht by Rembrandt.

what Arto said: "the Nightwatch" or "The Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch"

Many thanks sirs!

How do you not know this? That's, like, one of the most famous paintings of the period. They talk about in pretty much every basic art history class.

Never took an art history class. Sorry.

Originally Posted by Viscount Bolingbroke

Never took an art history class. Sorry.

Why did you choose this painting?

Originally Posted by MaximiIian

How do you not know this? That's, like, one of the most famous paintings of the period. They talk about in pretty much every basic art history class.

Originally Posted by Arto

Why did you choose this painting?

Ow, but this unnecessary harassment is really astounding. The thread's done, gentlemen!

Originally Posted by Viscount Bolingbroke

Ow, but this unnecessary harassment is really astounding. The thread's done, gentlemen!

Harassment?

Originally Posted by MaximiIian

How do you not know this? That's, like, one of the most famous paintings of the period. They talk about in pretty much every basic art history class.

because everyone pays close attention in art class...

Originally Posted by Last Roman

because everyone pays close attention in art class...

I usually dozed off during every class... more so cause the Prof was literally boring.

There's a nice parody of it on the front cover of the excellent Terry Pratchett book Night Watch:

The pic chosen was surprising but nevertheless, couldn't we continue posting new ones to guess/thread evolving/, like this one:

I see this question has been answered but I can change the title and keep it going as a "Guess the painting thread" .We did have one yonks ago. What say you ? Anyone interested in keeping it going?

Originally Posted by Noble Savage

I see this question has been answered but I can change the title and keep it going as a "Guess the painting thread" .We did have one yonks ago. What say you ? Anyone interested in keeping it going?

No need to bother yourself, I'll do it myself, as the consensus seems to be in favor of it...

@ Dracula... That's Giorgione's The Tempest (1508)... I repeat, no rep for me thanks.

My choice

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Guess who, when and why he/she painted it. + rep to the quickest one. It's pretty easy.

Originally Posted by Arch-hereticK

[SPOILER]why he/she painted it

Caravaggio, David with the Head of Goliath, 1610. Why? Because of his sword swallowing hobby perhaps? Caravaggio is said to be Goliath while David is his studio assistant (wink wink, hint hint).

No rep thanks.

Originally Posted by Maximinus Thrax

Caravaggio, David with the Head of Goliath, 1610. Why? Because of his sword swallowing hobby perhaps? Caravaggio is said to be Goliath while David is his studio assistant (wink wink, hint hint).

No rep thanks.

Lol, ok, good (he finished it 1610, but started it 1609).
He sent it to the pope's nephew as a sort of apology and evidence of penance (for murder), it was painted while he was a knight of Malta, lived like a monk, prayed, fasted, all that good stuff. Goliath is a self-portrait and David is also often remarked upon as being a self portrait, the latter is currently in doubt but intereslingly there is a declared reference to this painting in the empire strikes back (the scene that makes no sense where luke skywalker chops off vaders head but it turns out to be his own).

To cut a long story short, the painting may be interpreted as an admission of guilt as it can be interpreted as an attempt towards absolution. I think it should be considered both. There is no evidence that he was homosexual (he murdered at least one man over the affection of a woman), he was however very interested in re-inventing the male aesthetic away from the old Michalengelo super-macho, muscle-bound supermen.

The story of carravaggio ends with this painting, on his way to rome to recieve his pardon he died of fever (lead poisoning) possibly murdered in revenge for one of his many suspected murders, or the knights of malta settling a score, or more likely due to the lead in his paint.

I'll give you rep simply for giving me an excuse to vomit a surprisingly edited stream of useless information.

Originally Posted by Arch-hereticK

I'll give you rep simply for giving me an excuse to vomit a surprisingly edited stream of useless information.

I SAID NO REP! By the way, good info.