Woede

About this artwork

mezzotint en gravure

Art Historical Context

**Woede (Wrath)** by Jacob Gole (c. 1660–1737) is a striking small-scale engraving from the late 17th century, between 1693 and1700. Measuring just 115 mm high by 90 mm wide, intimate print exemplifies the Dutch engraver's mastery during the waning years of the Golden Age. Gole, renowned for his reproductive prints after leading painters, often captured dramatic human emotions, and "Woede"—Dutch for "wrath"—likely personifies one of the Seven Deadly Sins a popular allegorical theme in Baroque art that moralized vice through vivid imagery. The work combines **gravure** (engraving) with **mezzotint**, a revolutionary intaglio technique perfected in the 17th century. Mezzotint, invented around 1642 by Ludwig von Siegen, starts with a roughened copper plate to produce velvety blacks, which the artist then burnishes to create luminous highlights—ideal for conveying the fury and shadows of wrath. This tonal richness made mezzotint a favorite for moody, painterly effects in Northern Europe, bridging printmaking and painting for a growing collector class. Culturally, "Woede" reflects the era's fascination with human passions amid religious and moral introspection post-Reformation. Gole's precise lines and deep contrasts invite viewers to ponder the destructive power of anger, making this print a window into 17th-century Dutch sensibilities—both artistic and ethical. A gem for any collection of emblematic prints!

About the Artist

Jacob Gole · 1660–1737

Jacob Gole (c. 1660-1737) was a Dutch engraver and mezzotinter renowned for his portrait engravings and his role in disseminating the mezzotint technique across Europe. Born in Paris to the celebrated Huguenot cabinetmaker Pierre Gole, he emerged as one of the most skilled printmakers of the late Dutch Golden Age. Gole's significance in art history lies primarily in his mastery of the mezzotint t...