Heise reads Gotthard von Hansen uncritically.

Summary: Part 3 of 7 about why the painting in Tallinn is not a remnant of Lübeck's original painting from 1463.

Heise's "knowledge" about the painting in Tallinn is based on one, single source: Gotthard von Hansen's "Die Kirchen und ehemaligen Klöster Revals" from 1873 (reprinted 1976). No offense against Gotthard von Hansen's book - but how can a supposedly serious scholar like Heise base his research on a tourist guide?

Lübeck's dance of death, Carthusian monk and mayor

Carthusian monk and mayor in Lübeck (wrong sequence).

Heise assumes right away that Gotthard von Hansen has used "good, old traditions".(1) If Heise had considered it a bit, he would have realised that Gotthard von Hansen's source was the painting in Lübeck - since Gotthard von Hansen compares the Tallinn fragment with the painting in Lübeck 3 times in a row:

The sequence of dancers is reminiscent of the one in Lübeck
Death, who leads the pope, is carrying a coffin on his shoulder - just like in Lübeck
A great part of the painting is missing in Tallinn, whereas in Lübeck there are 24 dancers(2)

A much more damning evidence is the sequence of dancers that Gotthard von Hansen lists (and Heise himself quotes): "Bischof, Herzog, Abt, Ritter, Karthäuser und Bürger". This is the sequence that the painting in Lübeck had in 1873 when von Hansen wrote his book - but as pointed out in this footnote, the original sequence was bishop, duke, abbot, knight, Chartusian, nobleman, canon and mayor. This leaves two possibilities:

Gotthard von Hansen is right: The sequence in Tallinn is different from the original sequence in Lübeck, but then it follows that we are dealing with two different paintings.
Gotthard von Hansen has guessed the sequence - based on the painting in Lübeck.

Conclusion: Heise bases his theory on a tourist guide that gives erroneous information

Next section: Heise "quotes" Mantels

(1) Heise: "So hat sich auch schon G. v. Hansen entschieden, der offenbar noch auf guter alter Überlieferung fußen konnte". (s. 191)

(2) Gotthard von Hansen: "Dieses Bild gleicht im wesentlichen dem Totentanz in der Marienkirche zu Lübeck vom Jahre 1463, jedoch mit selbstständigen Zuthaten, wie z. B. der Prediger auf der Kanzel. Auch trägt der den Papst führende Tod gerade wie in Lübeck einen Totenschrein auf der Schulter.

Hier fehlt nun mancher Stand und auch die verschiedenen Altersstufen sind nicht vorhanden, während in Lübeck 24 Bilder vorgeführt werden". (pp. 39-40)