THE DANCE OF DEATH. THE celebrity of a subject which has been distinguished by the labours of such artists as Holbein and Hollar,, seems necessarily to demand some investigation of its origin... Show more
THE DANCE OF DEATH. THE celebrity of a subject which has been distinguished by the labours of such artists as Holbein and Hollar,, seems necessarily to demand some investigation of its origin*. In the dark ages of monkish bigotry and superstition^ the deluded people, terrified into a belief that the fear of death was acceptable to the great Author of their existence, had placed * It would be a piece of injustice not to mention, that this has already been done in a very able manner, by a respected friend of the compiler of the present essay, in a little work, intitled " Emblems of Mortality," ornamented with copies in Mood, of the Dance of Death, by J. Bewick, the brother of the admirable artist who executed the cuts to a history of quadrupeds, lately published. The work was printed for T.Hodgson, Clerkenvvell, in 1789, 12mo. The editor of it will immediately perceive that no rivality is here intended; that in the pursuit of a subject of this nature many of the same authorities must have naturally presented themselves, and in order to connect it properly, must again be of course adopted. Independently of these, the rest of this slight performance is only designed as supplemental.
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14 *HE DANCE OF DEATH. one of their principal gratifications in contemplating it amidst ideas the most horrid and disgusting: hence the frequent descriptions of mortality in all it... Show more
14 *HE DANCE OF DEATH. one of their principal gratifications in contemplating it amidst ideas the most horrid and disgusting: hence the frequent descriptions of mortality in all its shapes amongst their writers, and the representations of this kind, in their books of religious offices, and the paintings and sculptures of their ecclesiastic buildings. They had altogether lost sight of the consolatorjr doctrines of the Gospel, which regard death in no terrific point of view whatever ; a discovery reserved for the discernment of modern and enlightened Christians, who contemplate scenes which excited gloom and melancholy in the minds of their forefathers, with the gratification of philosophic curiosity. Some exceptions, however, to this remark are not wanting, for we may yet trace the imbecility of former ages in the decorations of many of our monuments, tricked out in all the silly ornaments of deaths' heads and marrow-bones. The most favourite subject of the kind, however, was what is usually denominated the Dance of Death, or a representation of Death in the act of leading all ranks and conditions of men to the grave; with gesticulations not a little bordering upon the grotesque, though probably without any view to provoke the mirth of the spectator in those times. One of the most ancient still existing, is that at Basil in Switzer-
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THE DANCE OF DEATH. land, in the church-yard formerly belonging to the convent of Dominicans, Svhich is said to have been painted at the instance of the fathers and prelates assisting at the ... Show more
THE DANCE OF DEATH. land, in the church-yard formerly belonging to the convent of Dominicans, Svhich is said to have been painted at the instance of the fathers and prelates assisting at the grand council at Basil, in 1431, in memory of a plague which happened soon afterwards, and during its continuance. The name of the painter is unknown, and will probably ever remain so, for no dependence can be had upon vague conjectures of those who, without any authority, or even the smallest probability, have attempted to ascertain it. To refute, or even to mention the blunders which have been committed by most of the travellers who have described the town of Basil, when they discuss this subject, would fill a volume : it will be sufficient to notice an assertion of Keysler, that the painting was executed by Hans Bok, a celebrated painter of this place, who, however,
