Monnik met een pijp Possibly 1670 - 1724

Curator: This is an engraving by Jacob Gole, possibly created between 1670 and 1724. The artwork, held here at the Rijksmuseum, is entitled “Monnik met een pijp”—"Monk with a Pipe." Editor: The caricature practically leaps off the paper! There's such irreverence etched into the monk's face. A really satirical and subversive portrait. Curator: Indeed. Gole uses the Baroque style to lampoon religious figures. Notice the text accompanying the portrait. It highlights hypocrisy, stating, "I am a Monk, it is true, but of Religion, I never cared.” It criticizes the mockery of God while men are ridiculed and scorned for their piety. Editor: And the detail! Look at the wart near his temple, the dishevelled hair. The slightly cynical gaze, coupled with the ever-present pipe and smoke... Is that even a pipe in his ear? It reads to me as the subversion of established power. In modern parlance, is this an early example of "monk-punk?" Curator: The exaggerated features certainly lean into caricature. The large cross on his garment seems almost ironic. It might point towards the socio-political landscape of the era. Religion played a very public role; an engraving like this might reflect a changing attitude towards faith. Editor: It does make me wonder about the audiences for these images. Were they shared openly or exchanged in secret? Who was laughing along, and who was scandalized? Because, wow! He just looks completely unapologetic. This print speaks volumes about the individual’s relationship with power and how they interact with rigid constructs within the existing societal structure. Curator: It invites us to reflect on those questions even today, making it a powerful and enduring piece. I'm particularly interested in how its message might resonate across different identity positions. Editor: Absolutely! A lasting commentary, presented with just the right dose of scathing wit. The print just continues to reveal itself.