Which Rembrandt painting is displayed in Stockholm’s Nationalmuseum after being cut from a larger work?

The Conspiracy of Claudius Civilis is the Rembrandt painting displayed in Stockholm’s Nationalmuseum after being cut from a larger work.

Rembrandt painted the scene around 1661–1662 for Amsterdam Town Hall. It represents a Roman-era oath of resistance led by Claudius Civilis, a one-eyed Batavian leader. The subject had contemporary patriotic meaning because the Dutch Republic traced part of its identity to Batavian resistance.

The completed canvas was rejected or removed, and it was later cut down substantially. The surviving section shows the conspirators gathered around a table, with dramatic lighting emphasizing the oath and the sword.

The painting entered Swedish collections and is now one of the Nationalmuseum’s major works. A reconstruction of the original composition helps viewers understand how much of the original canvas was lost.