29th August 1647

From Zaanse Schans museum, Zaandam, The Netherlands

This painting depicts the sad events that befell Jacob Eg and his wife, Trijn Jan, on the 29th August in 1647. Jacob and Trijn were assaulted, beaten and torn by their own red bull, in the pasture behind their house in the Zeeburg district of West Zaandam.
 
Neither husband or wife survived the attack, however Trijn was at the end of her pregnancy and when she was taken by the bull  and thrown to the air, her belly was torn open and the baby landed in a pond - a house length away from his mother.

The child was baptised, by the name of Jacob, but died on the 23th May 1548 and was buried with his parents.

(based on a description in the Reformed Church in West-Zaandam)

Zaandam 2017