Twee beren verscheuren de kinderen van Bethel 1647 - 1674

Jan van Ossenbeeck created this etching, “Two Bears Maul the Children of Bethel,” sometime in the 17th century. During this period, the Dutch Republic experienced a Golden Age, marked by economic prosperity and cultural flourishing, but also religious and political conflict. Ossenbeeck’s print depicts a biblical scene from the Second Book of Kings, in which the prophet Elisha curses children who mock him, resulting in their mauling by bears. The image reflects the era’s deep engagement with religious narratives and the anxieties surrounding social order and divine retribution. The vulnerability of the children evokes a sense of pathos and moral questioning. What does it mean to depict children as victims of divine wrath? “Two Bears Maul the Children of Bethel” invites us to reflect on the intersection of faith, power, and morality, and how these themes are visualized in art.