Karin Terpstra (36), oncology nurse
‘We have The Night Watch hanging in the stairwell. Our son Jens is autistic and has trouble falling asleep, which is why I sit on the stairs next to his room almost every night. He then feels that I am near him and that calms him down. I sit there for an hour every day and then I watch The Night Watch† That brings me peace again.’
Jesse Giling (40), artist
‘Rembrandt’s vision is very recognizable to me. Being obstinate, having my own view, that’s what I try to achieve in my work. The Night Watch I got from friends. He is from China. The dog is not on it, so it is not an exact replica. I don’t miss the beast. That way the painting is fine too.’
Annet van Tilborg (55), administrative assistant
‘I have The Night Watch only saw it once in real life and immediately fell in love with it. I’ve always said I wanted something like this in my house. Later we found this wallpaper on the internet. It was still quite difficult to get it on the wall, getting the seams to fit exactly is a painstaking job.’
Kylan Postema (27) and Barbara Meulenbelt (24), both students
Kylian: ‘I got this puzzle from my grandfather and grandmother’s inheritance. Those two really toiled to put the five thousand pieces together neatly. They thought it was such a mess that they eventually glued the puzzle to a shelf. Now it hangs here, so that Grandpa and Grandma can live on in our house a bit.’
Michel van Binnendijk (32), teacher
‘I found this one night watch at a thrift store. It felt like I had found a real Rembrandt. At the checkout other visitors saw it too, and suddenly they all wanted this. I’m very proud of it, but maybe I’ll sell it anyway, because it’s no longer really in our new facility.’
Bonnie van Schaik (51), flight attendant
‘This work of art fits perfectly in our interior, it is timeless and a real eye-catcher. When I come home after a long journey and I see The Night Watch hanging here, it really feels like coming home. I also often do yoga before the painting. Wonderfully relaxed and soothing.’
Max Kamperman (50), employee at an insurance company
“We used to have the New York skyline on the wall here, but Trump’s pranks meant we ritually destroyed it with the jigsaw. We are very proud of this real Dutch Master. We have The Night Watch the same width as the window, so the furnishings remain nice and quiet.’
Jan van Rooij (51), baker
‘It is a night watch with all the figures from the Efteling. They are all on it: Long Neck, Little Red Riding Hood, The Troll King, Donkey Stretch Je, Holle Bolle Gijs and so on. I’ve been coming to De Efteling since I was 4 years old. I’ve actually been there hundreds of times. It remains so beautiful. I often have to pass by with the Swiffer to keep it a bit presentable.’
Bianca van Brenk (50), mathematics teacher
‘It is a painting of a large group of people, but no one is looking at you. Watch. I don’t feel spied on sitting here alone at the table, when I still have a lot of people around me. You keep looking at it. I found The Night Watch via the internet, paid only 850 euros for it. A bargain for this Old Master.’
Marcus de Vries (54), free painter
‘I saw this night watch lie with the Action. Think of it as a gloomy canvas. I also don’t like the real color scheme. I thought: that could be better, a little happier. So I released my own cheerful color palette on it. Call it a recycled one night watchwhich fits better in today’s modern living room.’