The Dance of Death

The Dance of Death , 1501

Portfolio/Series title: a page from a Livre d'Heures (Book of Hours)

Where object was made: France

Material/technique: metal cut; hand coloring

Dimensions:
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 166 x 103 mm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 6 9/16 x 4 1/16 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 19 x 14 in

Credit line: Museum purchase

Accession number: 1971.0156

Not on display

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Label texts

Exhibition Label:
"Corpus," Apr-2012, Kris Ercums
The Dance of Death is an allegory exploring mortality. The first depictions of the Dance of Death appear in late-medieval art. In these images, a personified Death leads men and women in a dance toward the grave, demonstrating that no one escapes death and that death is ultimately a part of life. Images of Death paired with various women illustrate this page from a devotional book discussing masses and vigils for the dead.