Monnik met zijn handen voor zijn buik 1724

Jacob Gole created this print of a monk with his hands held over his stomach sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. During this period, the Dutch Republic, while a center of global trade and wealth, also grappled with its religious identity in the wake of the Reformation. Gole's depiction of the monk can be seen as part of the broader cultural narrative, reflecting the shifting attitudes toward religious figures and institutions in the Netherlands. Note how Gole captures a figure who seems caught between worlds. Is he lost in prayer, or perhaps in thought? The monk's garb, rendered with careful detail, speaks to a life of devotion, yet his upward gaze hints at a yearning for something more. The artwork doesn't simply depict a religious figure; it invites a moment of reflection on faith, doubt, and the human condition.