La Superstition - Jacob Gole

A satirical mezzotint by Jacob Gole depicting a figure engaged in self-flagellation, representing the allegory of superstition within the French clergy.

This mezzotint by Jacob Gole, titled La Superstition, belongs to a series of satirical prints targeting the French clergy during the reign of Louis XIV. Gole, a Dutch engraver and publisher based in Amsterdam, utilised the mezzotint technique to achieve soft, tonal gradations that define the figure's weathered features and the texture of the skin. The composition is circular, focusing on a hunched, elderly figure who is shown in the act of self-flagellation. The individual holds a scourge, with the marks of the discipline visible upon their back.

The print includes a French verse beneath the image, which provides context for the visual allegory. The text describes a cycle of remorse, stubbornness, and severe service, suggesting a critique of religious extremism and the perceived hypocrisy within the ecclesiastical structures of the period. The figure is depicted with a sharp, hooked nose and a cap, typical of the grotesque style employed in political and social satire of the late seventeenth century.

Jacob Gole was known for his technical proficiency in mezzotint, a medium that allowed for a painterly quality in printmaking. By using a rocker to create a burr on the copper plate, he produced deep, velvety blacks and subtle highlights. This work reflects the broader European tradition of using caricature to comment on social and political tensions. The print is an example of how Dutch publishers engaged with international affairs, often circulating critical views of the French monarchy and its institutions to a wider audience. The stark contrast between the dark background and the illuminated form of the subject draws the viewer's attention to the physical manifestation of the figure's internal state, as described in the accompanying poem.