The Dance of Death: Exhibited in Elegant Engravings on Wood with a Dissertation on the Several Representations of that Subject but More Particularly on Those Ascribed to Macaber and Hans HolbeinDouce, Francis
History
The Dance of Death: Exhibited in Elegant Engravings on Wood with a Dissertation on the Several Representations of that Subject but More Particularly on Those Ascribed to Macaber and Hans Holbein
Douce, Francis
Bible. Old Testament -- Illustrations; Dance of death
In 1657 and 1759 there appeared other editions of the latter, with this
title, "Die menschliche Sterblichkeit under dem titel Todten Tanz in LXI
original-kupfern, von Rudolf und Conrad Meyern beruhmten kunstmahlern in
Zurich abermal herausgegeben, nebst neven, dazu dienenden, moralischen
versen und veber schriften." That is, "Human mortality, under the title of
the Dance of Death, in 61 original copper prints of Rudolf and Conrad
Meyern, renowned painters at Zurich, to which are added appropriate moral
verses and inscriptions." Hamburg and Leipsig, 1759, 4to. The prolegomena
are entirely different from those in the other edition, and an elaborate
preface is added, giving an account of several editions of the Dance of
Death. Instead of the Captain, No. 25, the Ensign is substituted, and the
Cook is newly designed. Some of the numbers of the subjects are misplaced.
The etchings have been retouched, and on many the date of 1637 is seen,
which had no where occurred in the first edition here described.
In 1704 copies of 52 of these etchings were published at Augsburg, under
the title of "Tripudium mortis per victoriam super carnem universæ orbis
terræ erectum. Ab A. C. Redelio S. C. M. T. P." on a label held by Death
as before. Then the German title "Erbaulicher Sterb-Spiegel dast ist
sonnen-klahre vorstellung menschlicher nichtigkeit durch alle stande und
geschlechter: vermittelst schoner kupffern, lehr-reicher bey-schrifften
und hertz-beweglich angehangter Todten-lieder ehmahls herauss gegeben
durch Rudolph und Conrad Meyern mahlern in Zurch Anjetzo aber mit
Lateinischen unterschrifften der kupffer vermehret und aussgezieret von
dem Welt-beruhmten Poeten Augustino Casimiro Redelio, Belg. Mech. Sac.
Cæs. Majest. L. P. Augsburg zu finden bey Johann Philipp Steudner.
Druckts, Abraham Gugger. 1704." 4to. That is, "An edifying mirror of
mortality, representing the nullity of man through all stations and
generations, by means of beautiful engravings in copper, instructive
inscriptions, and heart-moving lays of Death, as an appendix to the work
formerly edited by Rudolph and Conrad Meyern of Zurich, but now published
with Latin inscriptions, and engravings augmented and renewed by the
worldly renowned poet Augustin Casimir Redel, &c."
In this edition the Pope and all the other religious characters are
omitted, probably by design. The etchings are very inferior to the fine
originals, and without the name of the artist. The dresses are frequently
modernised in the fashion of the time, and other variations are
occasionally introduced.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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