Edelman en de Dood 1524 - 1538

"Edelman en de Dood" (1524-1538) is a woodcut by Hans (II) Holbein, a prominent German Renaissance artist. This small-scale work, housed at the Rijksmuseum, depicts a dramatic confrontation between a nobleman and Death, symbolizing the inevitability of mortality. The nobleman, armed with a sword, valiantly defends himself against the skeletal figure, while an hourglass in the foreground underscores the passage of time. Holbein's powerful imagery, characteristic of his "Dance of Death" series, serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life.