The Emperor, from The Dance of Death
ca. 1526, published 1538
Medium
Woodcut
Dimensions
sheet: 2 9/16 x 1 15/16 in. (6.5 x 4.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1919
Accession Number
19.57.7
Tags
Art Historical Context
In Hans Holbein the Younger's iconic series *The Dance of Death*, "The Emperor" (ca. 1526, published 1538 captures the Renaissance fascination with mortality through a masterful woodcut, measuring just 2 9/16 x 1 15/16 inches. Designed by the German artist Holbein—a leading Northern Renaissance figure known for his precise line work—and expertly cut by Hans Lützelburger, print exemplifies the collaborative craft of 16th-century printmaking. Woodcuts like this allowed for affordable reproduction, spreading moral messages across Europe amid plagues and social upheaval. The scene depicts a skele...