Monnik met habijt in de hand Possibly 1670 - 1724

This etching, *Monnik met habijt in de hand*, was created by Jacob Gole, a Dutch printmaker active in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The image is achieved through a labor-intensive process of incising lines into a metal plate, inking it, and then transferring the image to paper. The material quality of the print, with its fine lines and tonal variations, gives the work its character. The stark contrast serves to enhance the anguished expression of the figure, emphasizing his poverty and desperation. The etching technique, though capable of great detail, also introduces a certain roughness, mirroring the subject's unrefined state. Prints like this one were made to be widely distributed and consumed, and this one speaks directly to social issues of labor, class, and the human condition. The amount of skilled work involved in the production process is evident in the intricate details of the face and the folds of the habit, a stark counterpoint to the monk's destitution. Ultimately, appreciating the materiality and making of this print allows us to connect with its social context and recognize its value beyond traditional art historical categories.