Countess Duchess

 
Noblewoman  
 

The Noblewoman / Newlywed Couple

Basel's dance of death: Hermit
Basel's dance of death: Death uses the hermit's lantern as a drum.
Basel's dance of death. pope
Basel's dance of death: pope

H ere is another case, where a little dialogue wouldn't be amiss. It's not entirely clear what goes on in the picture. The Bible quote above the picture is »Me & thee. Ought but death part thee and me« (freely after the Book of Ruth 1:17). Maybe this is supposed to be a line spoken by the noblewoman? In that case, Death stands just in front of them, ready to take her on her word. Maybe the couple are the same couple that later stands next to The escutcheon of Death and now have become separated by Death?

It's easy to see where Holbein found the inspiration. The picture of the energetically drumming Death is very reminiscent of a picture from the dance of death in Holbein's hometown, Basel (picture to the left).

Variations: Birckmann shortens the man's trousers, so it almost looks like a Scottish kilt; he gives both persons a feather in their hats and places the hourglass in the middle of the picture. All this is imitated by Hollar and Deuchar.

Scharffenberg has looked at Basel's dance of death (picture to the right) and has replaced the drum with a skull.

Holbein's Imagines Mortis: Noblewoman / Newlywed couple
Les Simulachres (1538)
Vogtherr 1544: Noblewoman / Newlywed couple
Vogtherr (1544)
Birckmann 1555: Noblewoman / Newlywed couple
Birckmann (1555)
Scharffenberg 1578: Noblewoman / Newlywed couple
Scharffenberg (1578)
Eberhard Kieser imaginibus: Noblewoman / Newlywed couple
Eberhard Kieser (1617)
Hollar 1651: Noblewoman / Newlywed couple
Hollar (1651)
Mechel 1780: Noblewoman / Newlywed couple
Mechel (1780)
Deuchar 1788: Noblewoman / Newlywed couple
Deuchar (1788)
Bewick?, Noblewoman / Newlywed couple
Pseudo-Bewick (1825)
Bechstein 1831: Noblewoman / Newlywed couple
Bechstein (1831)

Countess Duchess Up to Holbein's great dance of death