Joab doodt Abner en de dood van Uza 1791

Jacob Folkema created this print titled 'Joab doodt Abner en de dood van Uza,' sometime between 1692 and 1767. Folkema lived during the Dutch Golden Age, a period marked by the rise of mercantile capitalism, rapid overseas expansion, and the entrenchment of Reformed Protestantism as the dominant religion. The artwork shows two scenes from the Old Testament. In the upper panel, Joab murders Abner; in the lower panel, Uza is killed for touching the Ark of the Covenant. As a Protestant artist in the Netherlands, Folkema was likely motivated by a desire to engage with the religious narratives that shaped his culture. In choosing to depict these stories, he draws attention to themes of violence, justice, and divine retribution. Notice how the stark contrast between light and shadow intensifies the drama and underscores the moral weight of the scenes. What do these images tell us about the prevailing attitudes toward violence, power, and religious authority in the artist’s time? What feelings do these images evoke in you?