Dance of Death

Hans Holbein (Author) Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543) was a Swiss and German artist renowned for his portraiture. As a young artist Holbein worked in Basel where he produced one of his well-known works The Dance of Death, a series of 41 wood cuttings on the medieval concept of the danse macabre. In 1526 Holbein travelled to England on Erasmus's recommendation and there he executed some of his most impressive works, such as his portrait of Sir Thomas More. He returned to England in 1532 at a time of political and religious turmoil under Henry VIII's reign and found favour with the Boleyn family and Thomas Cromwell, becoming the King's Painter in 1536. He died in London in 1543.

The underlying message of the series is, of course, that Death comes for us all, and if it interrupts the recreations of the wealthy rather more insolently than those of the poor, then let that be a lesson to us... Rublack's commentary is useful and illuminating, pointing out details, providing information about the time Holbein lived in, and even making a plausible case for her own views on Holbein's position on the reformation.