The Clergyman, from The Dance of Death

"The Clergyman, from The Dance of Death" by Hans Holbein the Younger, is a pivotal example of Renaissance woodcut printmaking. Executed between 1521 and 1538, this powerful image belongs to a series that became one of the most famous and widely disseminated artistic projects of the 16th century.

The subject, The Dance of Death (Danse Macabre), allegorically depicts Death claiming individuals from all walks of life, emphasizing that earthly rank and wealth offer no immunity. In this specific scene, the figure of the clergyman, a member of the established elite, is confronted by an energetic, skeletal personification of Death. Holbein the Younger’s precise linework, characteristic of his mastery as a designer for woodcuts, maximizes the dramatic tension between the living men and the grim reaper, highlighting the inescapable universal fate.

The medium classification, print, was critical to the series’ success. The clarity and detail achieved through the woodcut technique allowed these scenes to be widely reproduced both as individual prints and in book format, greatly contributing to their widespread cultural and historical impact across Northern Europe. Younger’s designs revitalized the medieval Danse Macabre tradition with psychological depth and contemporary detail. This particular impression of The Clergyman is held within the esteemed prints collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, preserving a significant example of Northern Renaissance artistry.