The Countess, from 'The Dance of Death'
Original title: The Countess, from "The Dance of Death"
kurzbeschreibung
Hans Holbein the Younger cut this woodcut around 1526; it first appeared in print in 1538. A countess stands in costly finery, a crown held in her hands. Two companion figures flank her, each with a skull — a reminder that death is everywhere.
Description
The layout is symmetrical: the countess occupies the middle, attended by two figures with skulls. Her Renaissance dress is richly ornamented, and she lifts the crown high. Wood panelling fills the backdrop, and beside it a barred window opens. Fine lines and hatching give the monochrome sheet its character, as is typical of the woodcut.
Context
This sheet belongs to Holbein's Dance of Death series, made in the 1520s and first published at Lyon in 1538. The cycle makes plain that death levels every rank — a theme widespread in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The designs were probably drawn during Holbein's Basel years, when he worked in book printing.
Impact
Courtly splendour and memento mori join here in a combination that invites reflection. The clear draughtsmanship and symmetrical arrangement produce a calm, almost solemn mood.
Technique
For a woodcut the design is cut into a block of wood and then printed onto paper. The fine lines and hatching reveal Holbein's assured command of the medium. The sheet measures 6.5 x 4.8 cm, marking it as a small-format illustration.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)