The Bishop, from "The Dance of Death"

The Bishop, from The Dance of Death by Hans Holbein the Younger, is a pivotal example of Renaissance printmaking, executed primarily as a highly detailed woodcut between 1521 and 1538. This specific work is drawn from Holbein’s celebrated sequence of sixty illustrations, known collectively as The Dance of Death, one of the most famous and widely reproduced artistic endeavors of the 16th century.

The series visually explores the medieval memento mori tradition, reminding viewers that Death is the ultimate equalizer, confronting figures across all social strata regardless of their power or wealth. In this scene, the Bishop, representing the highest ecclesiastical authority among men, is suddenly seized by a figure embodying the inevitability of mortality: a grinning Skeleton. Younger masterfully uses the compact format characteristic of these prints to convey dramatic tension. The Bishop, still clinging to the symbols of his office, is distracted and physically pulled away while his spiritual flock, symbolized by the Sheep clustered near the base of the scene, remains unattended and vulnerable.

The exceptional skill displayed in the intricate cross-hatching and modeling demonstrates the sophisticated nature of these early 16th-century woodcuts, largely executed by the expert block cutter Hans Lützelburger based on Younger’s meticulous designs. The popularity of the images ensured they were widely distributed as individual prints and bound volumes throughout Europe. This particular piece, reflecting both religious critique and artistic innovation of the period, is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a major historic woodcut, high-quality images of this work are often available in the public domain for study and reference.