The Lawyer (or Advocate), from "The Dance of Death"

The Lawyer (or Advocate), from "The Dance of Death" by Hans Holbein the Younger, is a masterful example of the woodcut technique characteristic of the Northern Renaissance. Created between 1521 and 1538, this print belongs to Younger’s famed series illustrating the Danse Macabre, a visual tradition emphasizing the equality of death across all social ranks. The series was highly influential, serving as a powerful, often satirical, commentary on the social and moral corruption prevalent during the Reformation era. The detailed execution achieved by the engraver, likely Hans Lützelburger, elevates this small-scale work beyond mere illustration.

In this specific scene, the advocate, a prosperous man representing the worldly power and material focus of the professional class, is depicted urgently reviewing legal documents. Death, personified by a menacing skeleton figure, aggressively intervenes, snatching away the papers and dragging the reluctant man toward his fate. The traditional elements of Memento Mori are strongly present; notably, an hourglass sits prominently on the table, its sands nearly depleted, signifying the brevity and immediacy of the man's allocated time. The presence of the skeletons and the advocate’s resistance sharply contrast the certainty of mortality with the fleeting concerns of earthly law.

Holbein’s meticulous rendering ensures that the lawyer's arrogance and subsequent terror are palpable. Although often reproduced, these original prints are critical documents of 16th-century visual culture, highlighting Younger’s skill in handling complex compositions through relief printing. This acclaimed impression of The Lawyer (or Advocate) resides in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it helps illustrate the profound theological and artistic debates of the era. The historical nature of such classic works often places them within the public domain, ensuring widespread study and appreciation of these significant Renaissance prints.