Who created "The Dance of Death"?

The Dance of Death was created by Anonymous, German, 16th century in 16th century.

When was "The Dance of Death" created?

This artwork was created 16th century.

What medium is "The Dance of Death"?

The Dance of Death is Pen and brown ink, brush and brown ink, watercolor, gouache, gold paint.

Is "The Dance of Death" in the public domain?

Yes, The Dance of Death is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

The Dance of Death

Anonymous, German, 16th century

16th century

Medium

Pen and brown ink, brush and brown ink, watercolor, gouache, gold paint

Dimensions

7 7/16 × 5 3/8 in. (18.9 × 13.6 cm)

Classification

Drawings

Department

Drawings and Prints

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Purchase, Harry G. Sperling Fund, James A. and Maria R. Warth Gift, in memory of Anne and Peter Warth, and Bequest of Clifford A. Furst, by exchange, 1996

Accession Number

1996.70

Tags

DanceSkeletonsDancingHuman Figures

Art Historical Context

In the 16th-century German drawing *The Dance of Death*, an anonymous artist captures the timeless medieval motif of the *Danse Macabre*—a stark allegory where skeletons lead humans in a macabre dance, symbolizing death's impartiality across all social classes. Created amid the Renaissance's fascination with mortality, heightened by recurring plagues and the Reformation's upheavals in Germany, this work reminds viewers that no one escapes the great equalizer. The tags of dancing skeletons and human figures evoke a lively yet eerie procession, blending whimsy with warning. Rendered on a intima...

The Dance of Death

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