Rembrandt Paints The Conspiracy of the Batavians under Claudius Civilis

The Conspiracy of the Batavians under Claudius Civilis is the name of Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn's great painting, originally intended for the new Amsterdam Town Hall.

That had already been officially opened in 1655, but the decorations were still uncompleted. Rembrandt was awarded the assignment after the artist originally chosen Govaert Flinck, one of his pupils, had died. Rembrandt and several other artists were commissioned to complete the decoration of the lunettes in the great gallery, the central hall of the building. Rembrandt's painting is dated 1661-62.

The Conspiracy of Claudius Civilis is a 1661-62 oil painting by the Dutch painter Rembrandt, which was originally the largest he ever painted, at around five by five metres in the shape of a lunette. The painting was commissioned by the Amsterdam city council for the Town Hall. After the work had been in place briefly, it was returned to Rembrandt, who may have been never paid. Rembrandt drastically cut down the painting to a quarter of the original size to be sold. It is the last secular history painting he finished.