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Page Number: 34
Text: IS THE DANCE OF DEATH. as far as the year 1424*; it was called the Dance of Macaber, from a German poet of that name, who first composed some verses under the same title. Of this person very ...
Show more IS THE DANCE OF DEATH. as far as the year 1424*; it was called the Dance of Macaber, from a German poet of that name, who first composed some verses under the same title. Of this person very little is known, but Fabricius thinks the poem more ancient than the paintingsf. His work has been translated into Latin and French, in the last of which languages there are some very ancient and very modern editions. The earliest allusion to the subject, but whether to the above-mentioned farce or to the paintings seems uncertain, is in the following lines, from the Visions of Pierce the Plowman, who wrote about 1350. Death came drivynge after, and all to dust pashed, Kynges and kaysers, knightes and popes Learned and lewde, he ne let no man stande That he hitte even, he never stode after. Many a lovely ladie, and lemmans of knights Swonned and swclted, for sorrow of death dyntes. When the arts of printing and engraving became established, various copies of the Dance of Macaber made their appearance, particularly in the Hours, Breviaries, Missals, and other service books of the church, few of which were unaccompanied with a Dance of Death; and in these the designs gometiraes varied. Many of our own service books for the use of Salisbury were thus * Glossar. Carpentier, torn. ii. 1408. t Bibl. ined. & infim,
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Page Number: 35
Text: THE DANCE OF DEATH. 19 decorated, and the fashion at length terminated in a book of Christian prayers, printed more than once during the reign of Elizabeth, since which time noth...
Show more THE DANCE OF DEATH. 19 decorated, and the fashion at length terminated in a book of Christian prayers, printed more than once during the reign of Elizabeth, since which time nothing of the kind has appeared. In all these are to be found the same dull and uniform representation of Death leading a single figure, without'much attempt at character or execution, until at length there appeared, in 1538, a book, entitled " Les simulachres & historiees faces de la Mort, autant elegamment pourtraictes, que arti-ficiellement irnaginees." It was printed at Lyons by Melchior and Gasper Trechsel, and is accompanied with forty-one of the most beautiful groups of figures that can be well conceived, both for their composition and execution, being most delicately cut on wood, and surpassing in this branch of art almost every thing of the kind that has appeared before or since. This work was often republished, as welt in the French, as in the Latin and Italian languages*, and has been * The following is presumed to be a tolerably correct list of the various editions of this book : " Simulachres & Historiees faces de la Mort, &c." Lugd. 1538, 4to. " Imagines de Morte." Lugd. 1542, 12mo. " Imagines Mortis." Lugd. 1545, 12mo. " Imagines Mortis/' Lugd. 1547, 12mo. Les Images de la Morte." Lyon, 1547, 12tno. Simolachri, Historie, e Figure de la Morte." Lyone, 1549. I2mo. with an address from the printer, in which he complains of some attempts having been made in other countries to imitate the cuts to his book, and informs the reader that he
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Page Number: 36
Text: 20 THE DANCE OF DEATH. usually denominated by most of the writers upon the arts of painting and engraving, as well as by many travellers,, Holbein's Dance of Death, It is extremely clear, how...
Show more 20 THE DANCE OF DEATH. usually denominated by most of the writers upon the arts of painting and engraving, as well as by many travellers,, Holbein's Dance of Death, It is extremely clear, however, that Holbein did not invent these subjects, for it appears in a dedication, which is only to be found in the first edition of this work, that the painter was then dead, and that he had not lived to finish some of the designs, which, however, afterwards appeared in a subsequent edition. The painter must therefore have died before 1538, and it is well known that Holbein was at this time living, and continued so until 1555. Unluckily no evidence whatever, nor even tradition, has been preserved relating to this great artist, and it is feared that he will eveF remain undiscovered. had caused many more cuts to be added to this edition than had appeared in any other; a declaration not a little extraordinary, for both the editions of 154/, which were also published by this person, have the same number of cuts, and contain tv/elve more than the three first editions. These additional cuts were probably executed from the unfinished designs spoken of in the dedication to the first edition. Four of them, being groups of children playing, are rather foreign to the subject, but are evidently done by the same artist who executed the others. " Icones Mortis." Basil, 1554, 12mo. " Les Images de la Mort, auxquelles sont adjoustees dix sept. figures.'' Lyon, 156*2, 12mo. There are but five additional figures to this edition, the other twelve being what had already appeared, making in the whole seventeen more than in the first edition. Of these five cuts, which have all the delicacy of the others, three are groups of boys. " De Doodt vermaskert," &c. Antwerp, 1654, 12rao.
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Page Number: 37
Text: THE DANCE OF DEATH. 21 After what has been said., it becomes necessary to attempt at least to give some reason for the almost universal opinion, that these designs were the offs...
Show more THE DANCE OF DEATH. 21 After what has been said., it becomes necessary to attempt at least to give some reason for the almost universal opinion, that these designs were the offspring of Holbein's pencil. Most of those writers who have described the town of Basil, as well as the compilers of the lives of the painters, speak of a Dance of Death by Holbein, some referring to the old Dance of Macaber, and others to the more modern one; but it is not difficult to see/ that they have but transcribed from each other, without taking any pains to examine the subject. Certain it is, however, that Holbein did paint a Death's Dance in its improved state, and likewise more than once. Bishop Burnet, in his travels in Switzerland, speaks of a Dance of Death, painted by Holbein, cc on the walls of a house where he used to drink," which was then so worn out, that very little was to be seen except shapes and postures. He then mentions the old Death's Dance at the Dominicans' convent*, which, he says, was " so worn out some time ago, " that they ordered the best painter they had to fc lay new colours on it; but this is so ill done, (e that one had rather see the dead shadows of *c Holbein's pencil, (i. e. on the walls of the ec house), than this coarse work." This account is corroborated by Keysler, who adds, that the painting on the house was then entirely obliterated. Patin, in his travels, also * By mistake called the convent of the Augustinian*,
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Page Number: 38
Text: 32 THE DANCE OF DEATH. speaks of a house at Basil, curiously painted by Holbein, but does not mention the subject; it was probably the same as Burnet saw7. These are the onl...
Show more 32 THE DANCE OF DEATH. speaks of a house at Basil, curiously painted by Holbein, but does not mention the subject; it was probably the same as Burnet saw7. These are the only travellers who have spoken upon this subject with any degree of accuracy, and fortunately their testimony throws much light upon it. To the book already mentioned to have been published by the Trechsels, at Lyons, they sometimes annexed another, which was in some degree connected with it, and appears to have been printed by them the following year. This was entitled, <( Historiarum veteris testamentiicones," the cuts of which are in some instances much inferior to the others, and apparently by a different artist. The designs of these are indisputably by Holbein, as appears from some verses before the book, composed by Nicolas Bourbon, a cotem-porary poet, who also wrote some lines upon a Dance of Death painted by Holbein*. To these cuts to the Bible, are prefixed the first four which occur in the Dance of Death, as they likewise belong to the subject, and represent the creation and fall of man; but they are different in size, and were added, not only from the analogy of the subjects, but from the circumstance of their being already in the hands of the printer ; and thus, from an odd coincidence of things, as well as a palpable confusion of the respective verses of Bourbon, seems to have originated an * Borbonii Nugarum libri octo. Basil 1540, 12mo. p. 445,
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Page Number: 39
Text: THE DANCE OF DEATH. 23 opinion, that Holbein invented the Dance of Death. But it has not only been asserted that Holbein designed, but that he engraved, or rather cut this...
Show more THE DANCE OF DEATH. 23 opinion, that Holbein invented the Dance of Death. But it has not only been asserted that Holbein designed, but that he engraved, or rather cut this Dance of Death on wood. That he practised this art, nay, that he excelled in it, there is reason to believe, from some specimens that have been preserved, and which bear on them the unequivocal marks of H. H. & HANS. HOLBEN*. A set of cuts with the latter mark occurs in Archbishop Cranmer's Catechism, printed by Walter Lyneinl548; and although the composition of these is extremely good, their execution is not only inferior to the Dance of Death, but entirely different in its manner: and the mark of IB which is to be seen upon one of the cuts in this latter work, has been ascribed without any authority to Holbein, upon the strength of the vague opinions concerning his interference with the Dance of Death f. The great popularity and success of these cuts very soon excited many imitations of them both in copper and on blocks. In 1541, Aldegrever engraved eight of them, but with very material alterations. Other editions of the Imagines Mor> * It is not however impossible that Holbein, in putting his mark upon these cuts, might only intend to shew that he designed them, or drew the subject upon the blocks. + This mark is also given by Professor Christ, in his Diction-Baire des Monogrammes, to Hans Lautensack, and Hans Le-derer, persons of whom absolutely nothing is known.
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Page Number: 40
Text: 24 THE DANCE OF DEATH. tis, which had been first published under that title in 1545, appeared in 1555, 1566, 1573, and probably at many other times; these were also accompanied with cuts in w...
Show more 24 THE DANCE OF DEATH. tis, which had been first published under that title in 1545, appeared in 1555, 1566, 1573, and probably at many other times; these were also accompanied with cuts in wood by a very eminent but unknown artist, whose mark is J This mark is also to be found in some of the Emblems of Sambucus and Lejeune, in some ini-nitial letters to Grafton's Chronicle, and in other cuts executed during the sixteenth century*. It is not a little remarkable, that so late as the year 1654, there appeared a Dutch book, printed * The inaccurate Papillon, who in matters of historical discussion is hardly ever to be trusted, has asserted in his " Traits de la gravureen bois," that this is the mark of Silvius Antonianus, or Antoniano. Having found it upon some cuts, in an edition of Faerno's fables, printed at Antwerp in 156*7, with a dedication to Cardinal Borromeo, by Silvius Antoniano, he instantly conceived that he had discovered the name of the artist in that of the author of the dedication. The fact is, that Antoniano was no engraver, but a professor of belles lettres at Rome, afterwards secretary to Pope Pius V. and at length a Cardinal. His dedication had already appeared in the first edition of these fables in 1564, which has a different set of cuts engraved on copper. Another of Papillon's, blunders is equally curious. He had seen an edition of the Emblems of Sambucus with cuts, on which the same mark occurs. In this book is a fine portrait of the author, with his dog, under whom is the word BOM BO, which Papillon gravely informs us is the name of the engraver, and again refers to it on another cut of one of the Emblems under a dog also. Had he read the verses belonging to this particular Emblem, he would have immediately seen that it was nothing more than the dog's name, as Sambucus himself declares, whilst he pays a laudable tribute to the attachment of the faithful com* panion of his travels.
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Page Number: 41
Text: THE DANCE OF DEATH. 25 at Antwerp, where this artist worked, entitled, cc Doodt vermaskert, or Death masked/' accompanied with eighteen cuts of the Dance of Death, which in the ...
Show more THE DANCE OF DEATH. 25 at Antwerp, where this artist worked, entitled, cc Doodt vermaskert, or Death masked/' accompanied with eighteen cuts of the Dance of Death, which in the title page are ascribed to Holbein. They are all, except three, impressions from the identical blocks of the beautiful and original cuts of this subject; but the above-mentioned artist has had the effrontery to put his mark, together with the figure of a graving tool or knife, upon several of them. It is, however, possible that he might have repaired them, as some of the smaller lines, which in former impressions seem to have been injured, are here much stronger. It might be tedious to describe all the imitations of the Dance of Death which have appeared at different times, as they are exceedingly numerous; but it would be unpardonable not to notice an alphabet of initial letters with this subject, which for humour, and excellence of design, are even superior to the celebrated one ; and with respect to execution, especially when their minuteness is considered, being less than an inch square, absolutely wonderful. Their composition is entirely different from that of any of the others, and one of them is extremely indecent. They appear to have been done at Basil; for in the public library there is preserved a sheet, whereon arc printed three alphabets, viz. the one above-mentioned, another of boys at play, and the third, a dance of peasants, &c. The designs of some of the last are the same as those in a similar Dance
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Page Number: 42
Text: 26 THE DANCE OF DEATH. by Holbein, formerly painted on a house at Basil, and of which some drawings are still preserved ; and it is therefore not improbable that he also designed...
Show more 26 THE DANCE OF DEATH. by Holbein, formerly painted on a house at Basil, and of which some drawings are still preserved ; and it is therefore not improbable that he also designed the Dance of Death for these initials. They have apparently been struck off as proofs or patterns for some bookseller*, and at the bottom of the sheet is the mark ILwith the words tc Hans Liitzelburger Formschneider, (/. e. block-cutter), in Basel." In this manner has been preserved the name of a most exquisite artist, whom, from the similarity of style and subject, there is every reason to suppose the person who executed the fine cuts of the first Dance of Death. As he worked after the designs of Holbein, it is also probable that the painter might have invented some of the seventeen subjects which appeared in continuation of the original work, and that Liitzelburger also cut them for the subsequent editions. From the extreme delicacy with which the initials with the Dance of Death are executed, there is reason to suppose that they were not cut upon blocks of wood, but of metal, as was probably the larger work of the same subject; and in support of this conjecture it may be observed, that blocks of this kind are still preserved in the cabinets of the curious. * They were actually used by Cratander, a printer at Basil; and other initial letters, with Dances of Death, are to be seen in books printed at Zurich, Strasburg, and Vienna, in the sixteenth century. All the alphabets are in the possession of the ompiler of this essay, but they have not the monogram.
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Page Number: 43
Text: THE DANCE OF DEATFL 27 In 1780, Chretien de Mechel, a well-known artist and printseller at Basil, published forty-five engravings of a Death's Dance, as part of the works o...
Show more THE DANCE OF DEATFL 27 In 1780, Chretien de Mechel, a well-known artist and printseller at Basil, published forty-five engravings of a Death's Dance, as part of the works of Holbein, of which he intends to give a series. Mr. Coxe, in his travels, has given some account of this work, and informs us that they are done after some small drawings by Holbein, sketched with a pen, and slightly shaded with Indian ink ; that these drawings were purchased by Mr. Fleichman, of Strasburg, at Cro-zat's sale at Paris, and are now in the collection of Prince Gallitzin, Minister from the Empress of Russia to the court of Vienna, at which last place he had frequent opportunities of seeing and admiring them. He further adds, that Hollar copied these drawings, an opinion which will admit of some doubt. Mons. De MecheFs remark, that from the dresses and character of several of the figures, it is probable the drawings were sketched in England, as well as Mr. Coxe's conjecture that they were in the Arundelian collection, will appear but slightly founded to any one conversant in the dresses of the French and German nations at that period, to which they bear at least an equal resemblance: again, one of the cuts represents a King sitting at table under a canopy, powdered with Fleurs de lis, whose figure has a remarkable affinity to the portraits of Francis I. If these drawings were copied from the celebrated wooden cuts, they must have
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Page Number: 44
Text: 28 THE DANCE OF DEATH. been done after the year 1547, as eight of them did not appear till that time. But it has entirely escaped the knowledge of all the biographers of Holbei...
Show more 28 THE DANCE OF DEATH. been done after the year 1547, as eight of them did not appear till that time. But it has entirely escaped the knowledge of all the biographers of Holbein, that he painted a Dance of Death in fresco, upon the walls of the palace of Whitehall, which was consumed by fire in 1697. This curious fact is ascertained from two sets of nineteen very indifferent etchings from the wooden cuts, by one Nieuhoff; they were never published, but copies of them presented to the artist's friends, with manuscript dedications in the Dutch language, in which he speaks of the above-mentioned paintings at Whitehall. The book has the following title engraved in a border: '' Imagines Mortis, or the Dead Dance of Hans Holbeyn, Painter of King Henry the Vlllth." The author, in one of these dedications, addressed to the Right Honourable William Benting, informs him, that cc he had met with the scarce little work of H. Holbeyn in wood, which he had himself painted as large as life in fresco, on the walls of Whitehall; that he had followed the original as nearly as possible, and had presumed to lay his copy before him as being born in the same palace; that he considered the partiality which every one has for the place of his nativity, and that therefore an account of what was curie t 3 and remarkable therein, and of what was then no more, as being destroyed by a fatal fire, must of course prove acceptable, particularly as there were hardly any more re-
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The Wenceslaus Hollar Collection

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