Staande monnik met slang op zijn hoofd 1724

Jacob Gole produced this engraving of a 'Standing Monk with a Snake on his Head' sometime between 1660 and 1737. The image depicts a figure in obvious distress, apparently shocked by the snake now coiling on his head. It's important to remember that the Dutch Republic was a major center of international trade at this time. Gole's work reflects the cultural exchanges taking place, responding to and shaping Dutch perceptions of the wider world. The tile floor might be familiar to Dutch viewers, but the figure's clothing and physical features suggest someone from outside Europe. The snake, in this context, becomes a symbol of the unknown, of the potential dangers and surprises that come with global interaction. The Rijksmuseum holds a wealth of prints and drawings that illuminate how the Dutch understood and represented other cultures. Art historians sift through these visual records, combining them with written accounts and material artifacts, to better understand the complex, often fraught, history of cultural exchange.