Dikke monnik in het hellevuur 1724

Jacob Gole created this print of a fat monk in hellfire in the Netherlands, sometime between 1660 and 1737. Gole was a prolific engraver and print publisher during the Dutch Golden Age. His work provides a fascinating glimpse into the social and cultural attitudes of the time. This image, with its satirical depiction of a monk suffering in hell, speaks volumes about the complex relationship between the Dutch Republic and the Catholic Church. The Dutch Republic, a predominantly Protestant nation, had only recently won its independence from Catholic Spain through the Eighty Years' War. Anti-Catholic sentiment was still strong, and images like this would have played a role in reinforcing negative stereotypes about the clergy. Visual satire like this was extremely popular during the time. Analyzing this print helps us consider the ways in which art can both reflect and shape public opinion. To fully understand this artwork, one might consider pamphlets, popular songs, and other visual representations of religious figures from that era. Doing so will shed light on the social and institutional context in which Gole was working.