A satirical etching by Arnold Houbraken depicting a figure in papal attire riding a pig, reflecting the polemical print culture of the Dutch Golden Age.

This etching by Arnold Houbraken, a Dutch painter and writer known for his biographical work on artists, belongs to a tradition of political and religious satire common in the seventeenth-century Netherlands. The image depicts a figure wearing a papal tiara mounted upon a pig, a visual metaphor intended to mock ecclesiastical authority. The title, Laetsten Duyvels-Dreck, translates to 'The Last Devil's Dung', a coarse expression that reflects the polemical nature of the print. Houbraken employs a direct, graphic style typical of the period's pamphlet illustrations. The lines are precise, defining the form of the animal and the heavy robes of the rider with clarity. In the background, a small group of figures observes the scene, their gestures suggesting a reaction to the spectacle. The composition is straightforward, placing the central subject in profile to ensure the narrative intent is immediately legible to the viewer. As a historical document, this print provides insight into the visual language of dissent during the Dutch Golden Age. Satirical prints of this era often circulated as loose sheets or within pamphlets, serving as a medium for public commentary on contemporary events or institutional critiques. The work demonstrates the artist's technical proficiency with the etching needle, using cross-hatching to create shadow and texture on the pig's hide and the fabric of the papal vestments. While the subject matter is provocative, the execution remains disciplined, adhering to the conventions of Dutch printmaking. This piece is a representative example of how artists of the period engaged with social and political discourse through accessible, reproducible media.