Monnik met een eigendomsakte 1724

This print of a monk holding a deed was created by Jacob Gole, sometime between 1660 and 1737. It’s made with etching and engraving, processes involving sharp tools, acid, and careful control. Engraving is an incisive process, literally cutting into a metal plate to create lines, while etching uses acid to bite the design into the metal. This combination allows for both fine detail and tonal variation, as we see in the monk’s robe and the texture of the deed. These printmaking techniques were labor-intensive and required specialized skills, reflecting a complex interplay between artistic vision and technical expertise. Prints like this one were made in multiples, to be widely disseminated. As such, it reflects a growing commercial market for art, tied to broader issues of labor, politics, and consumption in the early modern period. It challenges traditional notions of art as unique and precious. Instead, it highlights the role of craft and reproduction in shaping cultural values.