The Countess from Dance of Death (Lyons) by Hans Holbein the Younger

The Countess from Dance of Death (Lyons) 1523 - 1526

print, woodcut

germany

pen drawing

mechanical pen drawing

print

pen illustration

pen sketch

junji ito style

ink line art

pen-ink sketch

woodcut

pen work

coloring book page

doodle art

"The Countess from Dance of Death (Lyons)" is a woodcut by Hans Holbein the Younger, created between 1523 and 1526. This small-scale work, part of a series, depicts Death, represented as a skeletal figure, embracing a woman in a richly patterned dress. The scene is set in a domestic interior, with an hourglass on a table, a reminder of the fleeting nature of life. This work is a powerful reminder of mortality and the inevitability of death, a common theme in Holbein's art. The precise details of the scene and the stark contrast between the living and the dead make this a chilling and thought-provoking image.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Hans Holbein's Dance of Death is the most famous treatment of the subject in Renaissance art. His series of 50 miniature woodcuts show Death's affinity for all stations in life, royal and religious officials not excepted. Holbein's highly animated images remained unpublished for 15 years. Perhaps they were considered too inflammatory during the 1520s, a period of class warfare when even peasants rejected the notion of the divine right of kings.