The Dance of Death, or Danse Macabre in French, is a late-medieval allegory on the universality of death: whether rich and powerful or poor and helpless, the dance we do with Death unites us all. The earliest visual record is from the cemetery of the Church of the Holy Innocents in Paris (1424-25), although it no longer exists. Other artists, including Bernt Notke, Vincent of Kastav, John of Kastav, and Pieter Brueghel the Elder addressed the subject in their art. My favorite treatment, reproduced here, is the wood cuts designed by Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543) in 1526 while he was in Basel and cut by the accomplished Formschneider (block cutter) Hans Lützelburger. Each image has been carefully restored, to the best of my ability, and is suitable for framing either in the original black and white or with whatever fanciful colors you choose to include. I hope you enjoy the beauty of the work of Holbein and Lützelburger as reproduced here and that you enjoy many pleasant hours of coloring.
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