The Dance of Death

by Hans Lutzelburger, Hans Holbein, Hans Ltzelburger, et al.

Book Overview

The most celebrated work of the 16th-century woodcut master, these 41 illustrations are a stark reminder of a dramatic motif: "Remember, you will die." Includes various quotations, depictions, and meditations on death.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486228045
• ISBN13: 9780486228044
• Release Date: June 1971
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

The dance of death book

Dope book, it just didn’t say in bold lettering it was the French version….

affordable presentation of hard-to-find wood carvings

Again, the thrifty publisher Dover supplies us with an affordable classic, this time in the art of woodcuts. Hans Holbein's macabre and morbid series, "The Dance of Death," gives us a chilling view into Europe during the time when its denizens, well, weren't really expected to make it too far into life. This Dover edition, though not as thorough as the complete 1538 French series (now out of print), provides a faithful reproduction of Holbein's masterpiece, with the original textual accompaniment in Latin (with English). In these marvelous woodcuts, the viewer can easily sense the feeling of dread within the European community during a time that death came all too easily. Of course, death is a theme from which we can never truly escape, so I suppose Holbein's art speaks to all the ages. Until we ourselves come to meet the Eternal Footman, we have Holbein's "Dance of Death" to give us a glimpse into what we may expect.

excellent presentation of Holbein's Danse Macabre works

The woodcuts are beautifully reproduced. Included are the verses that originally accompanied each woodcut. The text is provided both in the original Latin and in modern translation. The Danse Macabre was originally a visual artistic presentation, and this book is faithful to that performance. The explanatory text before the woodcuts begin is short and to the point. Dover allows the art to speak for itself, rather than 'interpreting' it for the viewer.