Astronoom en de Dood 1524 - 1538

This woodcut print, "Astronoom en de Dood" (The Astronomer and Death), was created by Hans Holbein the Younger between 1524 and 1538. It depicts a scholar engrossed in his work, studying a celestial globe. Death, skeletal and ominous, appears behind him, a stark reminder of mortality. The artwork is part of Holbein's series of "Dance of Death" woodcuts, exploring the universality of death and its impact on all individuals, regardless of their status or occupation. This particular piece uses the astronomer as a symbol of intellectual pursuit, highlighting the contrast between the ephemeral nature of life and the enduring power of knowledge.