De man met de worst - Jacob Gole

A striking mezzotint by Jacob Gole from 1690, depicting a man with a sausage in a moment of comic surprise.

Jacob Gole was a Dutch engraver and publisher, active in Amsterdam during the late seventeenth century. He is recognised for his mastery of the mezzotint technique, a method that allows for subtle gradations of tone and light. This print, titled De man met de worst, demonstrates his ability to capture expressive character through dramatic chiaroscuro.

The subject is a man depicted in a moment of surprise or comic intensity. He wears a soft cap adorned with a single peacock feather, a detail that adds a touch of absurdity to his appearance. His mouth is slightly agape, and his eyes are wide, directed towards the viewer. He holds a large sausage in his hands, which serves as the primary prop in this genre scene. The composition relies on the contrast between the dark background and the illuminated face and hands of the figure, a hallmark of the mezzotint process.

This work belongs to a tradition of Dutch genre prints that often featured humorous or eccentric characters. Gole produced many such prints, which were popular among collectors of the period for their technical precision and narrative quality. The soft transitions between shadow and light create a tactile quality, particularly in the rendering of the fabric and the texture of the sausage. The print is signed and dated in the lower corner, confirming its origin in 1690. As a specimen of late seventeenth-century printmaking, it provides insight into the popular visual culture of the Netherlands, where everyday subjects were elevated through skilled execution and dramatic lighting. The print remains a clear example of the technical capabilities of the mezzotint medium during this era.