Monnik met zegels Possibly 1670 - 1724

Editor: This is “Monnik met zegels,” or “Monk with Seals,” an engraving by Jacob Gole, likely created between 1670 and 1724. The level of detail is quite striking. What stands out to you? Curator: The engraving technique itself, the way Gole has used the burin to create this caricature of the Inquisitor, speaks volumes about the materiality of critique in this period. Consider the social context: the printing press allowed for the relatively mass production of images, but each line had to be carefully etched. The labor-intensive process is directly at odds with the message denouncing what is effectively state-sanctioned robbery. Editor: That's fascinating. So, the medium itself amplifies the message of social critique? Curator: Exactly! The act of engraving, a skill acquired through rigorous training and guild structures, became a tool to undermine the very institutions it might have otherwise supported. And look at the inscriptions he includes, layered like actual documents of appropriation, which calls attention to what it takes to materially produce even fake documentation of legality. How is value being produced and accrued here? Editor: It’s ironic. He’s using his craft, a form of skilled labor, to critique the Church’s exploitation of labor and resources. Is it common to see this kind of socio-political commentary embedded in the production of art during this period? Curator: Absolutely. Printmaking, in particular, became a powerful tool for disseminating dissenting ideas and challenging established power structures. These works make us question where value comes from and who controls the means of production, both artistically and economically. Editor: I never thought about it that way, considering the artistic process as integral to understanding the artwork's social commentary. It’s given me a new lens for viewing art. Curator: Precisely! Seeing the means of production helps us understand the message more fully and completely.