Brakende geestelijke Possibly 1670 - 1724

"Brakende geestelijke" (Broken Spirit) is an etching by Jacob Gole depicting a caricature of a man with a long beard and a wry smile. The image is titled "Le Pere Antoine" and the inscription below the portrait reads: "It is necessary to undress to return to the fight, if I go too far in debauchery, do not censure me, because there is nothing better for forming my body than this holy exercise". This work is believed to have been created between 1670 and 1724 and is now part of the Rijksmuseum collection. Gole, known for his satirical engravings, used humor to expose the follies of the clergy and the wealthy.