Deken en de Dood 1524 - 1538

This woodcut, made by Hans Holbein the Younger, presents a “Dance of Death,” a popular theme in the late Middle Ages. The process of woodcutting is crucial to understanding this artwork's impact. Holbein would have used specialized knives and gouges to carve away the wood around his design, leaving the lines that create the image in relief. This painstaking, subtractive process demanded precision, and the resulting print could be reproduced many times over. The stark contrast between the black ink and the white paper intensifies the scene's drama, underscoring the themes of mortality and the transience of earthly life. Each line is a testament to labor and skill. In its time, the woodcut was a relatively accessible medium, allowing these potent images to circulate widely. "Death and the Dean" is a compelling reminder of the vital role that materials and making play in shaping our understanding of art, bridging the so-called divide between craft and fine art.