1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Bear Beseeches the Lion for Justice is a 1650 ink by Allart van Everdingen, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows a bear standing on its hind legs, reaching up toward a lion. The lion sits on a rocky outcrop, looking down with a calm face. Around them, trees and bushes fill the background, drawn in tight, swirling lines. The bear’s front paws are raised like it’s begging, while the lion’s tail curls behind it. The artist used fine lines to show fur and texture, making the animals look almost alive. This is an example of etching, a technique where artists scratch into a metal plate to create prints.
Allaert van Everdingen (Dutch pronunciation: ; bapt. 18 June 1621 – 8 November 1675 (buried)), was a Dutch Golden Age painter and printmaker in etching and mezzotint.
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