Coat-of-Arms of Death, from "The Dance of Death"

The Coat-of-Arms of Death, from "The Dance of Death" series, is a powerful woodcut print executed by Hans Holbein the Younger between 1521 and 1538. This complex relief print is celebrated for its technical precision, utilizing fine cross-hatching and varied line work to achieve depth and texture despite the constraints inherent in the wood block medium. Younger’s highly influential series masterfully modernized the medieval concept of the Danse Macabre, creating deeply resonant allegorical scenes illustrating how the skeletal figure of Death interrupts individuals regardless of their social standing or earthly power.

Unlike the sequential narrative panels in the series that depict Death striking specific figures, this print serves as a dramatic summation or frontispiece. It presents Death personified as an aristocratic figure, rendered in the formal heraldic structure traditionally reserved for noble families or royalty. The escutcheon features symbols traditionally associated with mortality, serving as a chilling reminder of human vanity and the ultimate futility of worldly power.

The widespread dissemination of Holbein's meticulous designs across Europe through mass-produced prints ensured the lasting fame of the series, elevating the woodcut from a simple reproductive tool to a powerful medium for moral instruction and satire during the Reformation era. This significant piece, classified as a print, is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of its age and profound cultural importance, Younger’s original designs have entered the public domain, allowing modern viewers worldwide to study the precise detail and moral gravity captured in this Renaissance masterwork.