Boer en de Dood 1524 - 1538

"Boer en de Dood" (The Peasant and Death), a woodcut by Hans Holbein the Younger, depicts a stark reminder of mortality. The image shows a peasant working his field, unaware that Death is approaching from behind. Death, personified as a skeletal figure, is pulling the plow and will soon overtake the oblivious farmer. This woodcut was created around 1524-1538, during a time when the Black Death was still a vivid memory. The artwork's powerful message served as a stark reminder of the fragility of human life and the inevitability of death. The use of woodcut allowed for the reproduction of Holbein's powerful imagery for a wide audience, further emphasizing the universality of death. The image is now part of the Rijksmuseum's collection in Amsterdam.