Schieten van de ijsbeer die twee zeelieden had aangevallen, 1595 1598

This anonymous woodcut, "Schieten van de ijsbeer die twee zeelieden had aangevallen, 1595" (Shooting of the polar bear that attacked two sailors, 1595) from 1598, depicts a dramatic scene of a polar bear attack on two Dutch sailors in the Arctic. The scene, which would have been part of a larger book illustration, shows the bear attacking a sailor, while others fight it off, with a ship in the background. The woodcut is a valuable historical document that showcases the dangers faced by early Dutch explorers in the Arctic. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam houses this artwork.