To Bury the Dead 

Georg Pencz made this small engraving, "To Bury the Dead," sometime in the first half of the 16th century. The scene depicts a group of figures lowering a shrouded body into a grave. Pencz was a leading printmaker in Nuremberg, Germany, at a time of significant social and religious upheaval related to the Protestant Reformation. Prints like this one served a vital role in disseminating ideas and images. Although this work is not explicitly Protestant, the emphasis on earthly rituals and communal action aligns with the shift away from elaborate church ceremonies that characterized the Reformation. The print also reflects broader social concerns with death and disease, as outbreaks of plague and other illnesses were a recurring reality in 16th-century Europe. To fully understand this print, we can consult historical documents, religious texts, and studies of social customs. By placing the artwork in its institutional and cultural context, we gain a deeper understanding of the social role of art and the politics of imagery.