Researchers discover Japanese bacteria on Rembrandt's night watch painting

Researchers from the Rijksmuseum and Artis-Micropia are analyzing 60 samples from ten different points on Rembrandt's Night Watch to identify microorganisms living on the canvas.

The study aims to understand the biological history of the masterpiece, which was painted between 1639 and 1642 and later trimmed in 1715 to fit a room in the Amsterdam City Hall. Initial culture results revealed the presence of soil and skin bacteria.

The team also identified a specific bacterial species first described in 2013 after it was collected from a sugar refinery in Japan.