Dans van de Dood (rechterhelft) c. 1643 - 1687

Gesina ter Borch made this drawing, titled 'Dance of Death, right half,' with pen and brown ink and brush in gray ink sometime in the 17th century. The dance macabre was a popular theme in the late Middle Ages onward, serving as a memento mori, reminding viewers of the universality of death regardless of social status. Here, we see figures from different walks of life – a lady, a monk, a gentleman, and even a child – being led in a dance by skeletons. Ter Borch was from the Netherlands, a country shaped by its mercantile economy, relative religious tolerance, and republican values. Her choice of the dance macabre theme suggests a commentary on the social leveling that death brings. The Rijksmuseum provides a wealth of information on Dutch art and history, allowing us to understand better the context in which ter Borch created this drawing. By examining such art, we can gain insights into the social attitudes and anxieties of the past.