The Countess c. 16th century

Editor: This is "The Countess," a woodcut by Hans Holbein the Younger. It seems to depict a noblewoman and her maid, but then there's the figure of Death. What's going on here? Curator: This is a "memento mori," a reminder of death's inevitability, especially relevant during the Reformation and the rise of Humanism. How does the presence of death challenge the Countess's power and privilege? Editor: Well, it kind of equalizes things, right? Death doesn't care about your status. Curator: Exactly. Holbein is making a powerful statement about mortality and social critique. The hourglass, the decaying flesh... What do these symbols tell us about the cultural anxieties of the time? Editor: It makes you think about the fleeting nature of beauty and power. Thanks, I see so much more now.