s the sun sets, Death drags the bishop away.
The bishop's crosier is a shepherd's crook, men apparently the bishop is a bad shepherd,
since the sheep as well as the congregation are running bewildered around.
The alternative interpretation is that the sheep and the congregation are lost
because Death has taken their shepherd away. This interpretation is supported
by the Bible quote that the publisher has placed above the picture —
Matthew 26:31,
»[…] I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad«.
Holbein's dance of death has also inspired the dance of death in Chur in Switzerland - see picture to the right.
Variations: Aldegrever as usually makes a free interpretation
and Eberhard Kieser copies Aldegrever.
Scharffenberg forgets to draw humans and sheep in the background.
Vogtherr places the sun in the middle of the picture close to a village and "forgets" to draw the hourglass.
The unknown English artist draws two suns! Small wonder the congregation are bewildered.
s the sun sets, Death drags the bishop away.
The bishop's crosier is a shepherd's crook, men apparently the bishop is a bad shepherd,
since the sheep as well as the congregation are running bewildered around.
Dances of death
Holbein