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| Hans Holbein the Younger, The Duchess, The Dance of Death Series, c.1526, British Museum, London |
These cards are quite intriguing but I
don’t think you would want to play ‘snap’ with them! Here, a skeleton with flowing locks pulls a blanket
from a startled woman who sits up in bed, whilst another skeleton, half in
shadow, plays a violin. It is a macabre little scene and represents the death
of the woman, a Duchess, when she least expects it. The skeleton personifies Death who is there
to escort her from life.
Hans Holbein the Younger designed this
illustration along with forty-one others, making a complete set [1]
called The Dance of Death which now
resides in the British Museum. They are actually smaller than standard size
playing cards at 6.4 x 4.9 cm and although their original purpose is unknown [2],
it has been suggested that images like these were intended to teach moral
principles [3].
Another card shows Death removing a man’s
valuables before removing the Rich Man himself. On the table a candle has just
burnt down indicating the snuffing out of life.
The moral can be clearly seen: the hoarding of wealth and the attempt to
secure them behind iron bars and strong walls are no defence against death.
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| Hans Holbein the Younger, The Rich Man, c.1526, The British Museum, London |
The intricate detail, the delicate
lines and precision cutting that went into each woodcut is truly
incredible. Holbein designed the images,
but another craftsman, Hans Lutzelburger, actually cut the wood to create
them. It may be his signature, HL, that we
see on the bottom left of the Duchess picture, carved into the base of the bed [4].
These images were often copied at the
time in stained glass windows, murals, carvings and printed books. We can also see many references in much later
works, such as Henry Wallis’ Chatterton,
where the smoke of the candle indicates the passing of life from the man on the
bed.
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| Henry Wallis, Chatterton, 1856, Tate Britain, London |
Part of this strangely beautiful and
intriguing set of woodcuts can be seen in the current exhibition at the
National Gallery, Strange Beauty which
finishes on 11th May this year.
If you get a chance, go and examine these tiny works of art for yourself.
Alison Barker
Coming next: Have you seen...a Small Sign of Peace?
[4] William M. Ivins, Jr., 1919, Hans Holbein’s Dance of Death, p.231
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