Priester en de Dood 1524 - 1538

"Priester en de Dood" ("Priest and Death"), created by Hans Holbein the Younger between 1524 and 1538, is a woodcut depicting a priest being confronted by the skeletal figure of Death. Holbein, known for his detailed portraits and religious imagery, portrays the scene with a stark simplicity, highlighting the inevitability of mortality. The image is believed to be a visual representation of a theme explored in the Book of Ecclesiastes. The stark contrast between the figure of the priest and the skeletal figure of Death, the smoke rising in the distance, and the lantern held by Death creates a haunting and memorable scene. The artwork is housed in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and is a powerful example of Holbein's mastery of the woodcut medium.