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