Beschuldiging van Jean Calas 1831 - 1886

Frans Molenaar's print, "Beschuldiging van Jean Calas," made in the Netherlands during the 19th century, captures a moment of high drama laden with social and political implications. The image references the infamous case of Jean Calas, a Protestant man who was wrongly accused and executed for murdering his son in 1762. The composition is charged with the tension between the accusers and the apparent victim, set against a stark domestic interior. Molenaar invites us to reflect on the dangers of religious intolerance and the abuse of power by the state. Historical records, legal documents, and contemporary accounts from the 1760s help to paint a picture of the pervasive anti-Protestant sentiments of the time, alongside the power of the Catholic Church. Such sources are vital for understanding the potent critique of injustice embedded within Molenaar's work. The artwork serves as a stark reminder of the past, and how easily social structures can become instruments of oppression.