Het Gezicht: lezende oude vrouw 1670 - 1709

Jacob Gole created this print of an old woman reading in the late 17th or early 18th century. The circular composition draws our eyes to the central figure, her face etched with the details of age and concentration. The textures of her skin, clothing, and the book are rendered through precise lines and hatching. Gole plays with semiotic codes of the time. The woman’s glasses and the act of reading signify knowledge and intellect, yet her aged appearance presents a contrasting image. This juxtaposition destabilizes conventional associations of wisdom with youth or idealized beauty. Notice how the artist creates a sense of intimacy through the close framing and the woman's intense focus, which implies a deeper engagement with the text. This image, with its delicate balance of light and shadow, invites us to reflect on the changing perceptions of aging, knowledge, and representation.