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Even - or perhaps especially - in its mutilated state, the painting is an incredible work. The wild handling and primitive forms are as if specifically designed for the archaic and barbarous subject. Perhaps most remarkable is the colour, here inseparable from the lighting. As was so often his practice, Rembrandt places a source of light in the centre of the figure group, concealing it from direct view. Yet the amount of light emitted from this source is far greater than it would be if it were merely natural. At its most intense, the light is white; where it becomes pale yellow, it suggests not only strong light but also great heat.
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