The actress

Götz: Actress

Kruspe: Actress

The actress portrays the celebrated French Adrienne Lecouvreur (1692 - 1730), who among other things was famous for her mysterious death (presumably by poisoning), six years before the painting was created.

Kruspe's drawing (right) shows how she dramatically stretches out her arms, deepened in her role, while Death emerges from the backdrop. In the drawing, Death has pierced the eye of the theater mask with his epee. Maybe to show his power over the muse?

Der Tod zur Commödiantin :
Ganz artig hast du oft die Sterbende gespielet,
Allein, was Sterben heisst, dabei niemals gefühlet.
Komm, spiel die Rolle wohl, du musst nun wirklich lernen
Vom Schauplatz dieser Zeit, dich sterbend zu entfernen.

Die Commödiantin:
Hat meine Action nicht manches Herz bewegt?
Hat nicht mein Sterbespiel viel Wehmuth sonst erregt?
Jedoch das Spiel ist aus! den Schauplatz zu entzieren,
Will mich der harte Tod nunmehr zum Tanze führen.

The titles were presumably not a part of the painting. In the text above she is called "Commödiantin", i.e. female comedian, while Götz' and Pohle's texts call her "Die Schauspielerin", i.e. the actress.