Queen, from the Dance of Death 1651 - 1800

Curator: Considering Hollar’s "Queen, from the Dance of Death," a print dated between 1651 and 1800, observe how the skeletal figure is intrinsically linked to representations of power. Death is not external here; it's interwoven with the production of regality. What strikes you about the material reality conveyed through this print? Editor: The intricate lines and detailed clothing are what caught my eye at first glance, especially the juxtaposition between the ornate gowns of the queen and her ladies, against the stark depiction of death. It feels very detailed, yet also sparse and economical. How do you interpret the contrast of detail with simplicity here, considering the material constraints of printmaking at the time? Curator: Exactly. Hollar uses the limitations of the etching process—the lines etched into a metal plate, the reliance on acid—to make a statement. The "Dance of Death" genre served a specific function, reminding the viewer of the levelling power of mortality, no matter your earthly position. Does this affect our understanding of labour? Is the Queen also a laborer within the means of the State's own mortality? Editor: I think that the limitations on labor, like the Queen and her companions bound in place through the hands of Death, does highlight a sense of limited freedom or control over the direction of society's path. Do you think the prints mass appeal adds more weight to the imagery used? Curator: The printing process inherently makes it so; Hollar utilized a technique, a means of production, to democratize a message usually confined to the wealthy. Each impression makes an ideology. Are we able to see a premonition here about how capitalism would become as equalizing and grim a harvester? Editor: Wow, it's fascinating how analyzing the process behind this artwork, changes our view of death, power and societal structures within "Queen, from the Dance of Death"! I hadn't considered the message in those terms initially. Curator: Exactly! By examining the materiality, production, and social context, we gain richer insights.