The Councillor, from "The Dance of Death"

"The Councillor, from 'The Dance of Death,' by Hans Holbein the Younger, is a pivotal example of 16th-century printmaking. Created between 1521 and 1538, this powerful woodcut is part of the Younger’s highly influential series, The Dance of Death (Danse Macabre), which revitalized a medieval allegorical theme during the turbulent period of the Northern Renaissance and the Reformation.

Holbein’s prints offered a dramatic commentary on social hierarchy and mortality, illustrating Death’s indiscriminate reach across all professions and ranks of men. In this particular scene, a prosperous councilor, identified by his robes and formal setting, is abruptly confronted by a skeletal personification of Death. The design captures Death seizing the man’s staff of authority while a detailed hourglass, positioned prominently on the table, symbolizes the rapid, finite passage of earthly life and the interruption of temporal power.

Though Holbein designed the images, the detailed translation of the drawings into the final woodcut prints was executed by skilled block cutters, most likely Hans Lützelburger. Despite the small scale of the block, the meticulous lines and dramatic contrast achieved set a new standard for graphic arts of the era. This impactful impression is preserved within the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The enduring cultural significance of this series ensures that these influential Holbein prints are widely reproduced, with many examples available today through public domain collections.