Holbein’s Danse Macabre
The University of Iowa’s John Martin Rare Book Room has just added Hans Holbien’s The dances of death through the various stages of human life: wherein the capriciousness of that tyrant is exhibited… to their online collection.
The Dance of Death, often referred to as “Danse Macabre” is a gruesome medieval and renaissance symbol of the all-encompassing and universal power of death. Originally a 14th century morality poem, written shortly after the plague of the 1340’s that wiped out a high proportion of the European populace, images of the allegory made their way into print shortly thereafter. The most famous of these was a series of wood cuts by the German artist and printmaker, Hans Holbein, the younger (1497-1543).
The university’s version is an 1803 republication of copperplates based on Holbein’s work, made by Scottish artist and engraver David Deuchar.
These are nice, high-quality scans which would be great for use in art projects. A decoupaged TV tray, end table, or folding screen would be lovely decorated with little dancing skeletons.
Link (via Morbid Anatomy)
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