Audrey+Ginger

=De Triomphe de la Mort = Triumph of Death =Dance of Death / Danse Macabre (French) =

**Gift/Collection:** Caroline Sweezy
====According to the History of Goucher Archive, Caroline Sweezy was a Goucher alumna, and her husband, served on the Board of Trustees for over ten years; They also donated large contributions. Interestingly enough, their son, Paul Marlor Sweezy (1910-2004) was a neo-Marxist, specifically a Marxist economist, political activist, publisher, and editor of the Monthly Review magazine; he is most known for his Marxist economic theories. ====

**History of //Death//: **
====Even during the Classical period, Plato discussed the inevitableness of Death, and articulated in //Phaedo// that Philosophy is simply "about nothing else but dying and being dead" (Phaedo). ====

//Obsession with Death as part of the European Tradition: //
====Since Death is an inescapable part of the human condition, it has always been a part of philosophical and religious dialogue. Once Christianity gained headway in the European consciousness, the significance/role/purpose of Death became an even more important topic that overwhelmed the communal psyche. Christianity's emphasis on theological elements such as Salvation, Sin, Heaven, Hell, and especially Divine Judgment, put even more attention on the significance of Death than ever before. The Last Judgement scene, specifically, illuminated and warned against the negative consequences of indulgence and sinful pleasures (//which is emphasized in Dance of Death//) ====

DEAD AS ALIVE, LIVING AS DEAD
 During the Medieval/late-Medieval periods especially, with plagues such as the Black Death, social upheavals, famines, and further articulations of Christian dogma, Death became an essential component of life. The latin phrase //Momento Mori// appeared in literature and the arts, reminding us all, "remember (that you have) to die." Between the time period, 1415-1450, the skeleton and hourglass became allegorical icons that were inseparable from this phrase. //Ars Moriendi// came out of Death's presence in Medieval life, and literally translates to "The Art of Dying." It often depicts men in their hour of death, being tempted by Sin (often demons, monsters, hybrids). It is a step-by-step guide on how to die and go to Heaven. In Bosch's well-known //Ars Moriendi//, we see death creeping through a door, with a man being bombarded by demons offering money and angels reminding him of Salvation. The personification of death as an active skeleton is an essential aspect of //Dance of Death//.





**History of the //Dance// of Death: **
Christianity often had a hard time dealing with the bodily pleasures associated with dancing. In the //Nuremberg Chronicle//, there is a documented case that while a priest was performing mass in the Church of Saint Magnus, 18 men and 10 women, amused themselves by dancing outside in the courtyard. Unsettled by the obvious areligious and perhaps anti-Christian statement they were making, Emperor Henry II forced them to dance for a year, and literally danced themselves into their grave (Douce 5-6). In another instance recorded in the Chronicle, people were singing and dancing on bridge whilst Eucharist was occurring, and the bridge broke, with over 200 people being dropped in the the River Moselle (6).

**Origins of This Type of Book: **
====While it is written in this adopted book that Hans Holbein the Younger was the original creator of the Dance of Death woodcuts, much speculation has been made about the origin of this series. Holbein perhaps painted some type of dance of death on the wall of his home in Basle (Douce 70). However, he is also have said to created a 'Dance of Peasants' in his home. ==== It is believed that the Dance of Death was created between 1522-1526; According to Francis Douce, this becomes central to his thesis that Holbein was not the original creator of the Dance of Death' According to Douce, the first known edition in which these woodcuts were made, was accompanied with French verses and descriptions. Soon after, a Latin was replaced in an edition published in 1538 in Lyons. Douce argues that Holbein sold the 41 woodcuts to a bookseller in Lyon (Douce 78).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Going off of the assumption that Holbein did create the series, which is based off of the facts that he <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">However, the origin is complicated by the fact that the original alphabet used (http://www.dodedans.com/Eholbeinalf.htm) and the woodcuts were published anonymously. Perhaps because of its Reformist undertone? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Hans Lützelburger is accredited with the block-cutting component of the craft. Between 1522-1526, these woodcuts were published on broadsheets, or printer's proofs. Again, this led Douce to believe that proofs of the woodcuts are done using just one side, suggesting that perhaps the works were not intended to be in a book. The fact that Lützelburger died around 1526 is another indication that they formed these pieces around that time period. The Holbein's Dance of Death alphabet was also used by the year 1526.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">time period (coming out of //Ars Moriendi//)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">skeleton imagery in other works
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Reformist
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Holbein the Elder came out of the Gothic tradition

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1538: Trechsel Brothers publish Holbein's Dance of Death and the Old Testament; they are extremely similar in style, and some woodcuts from the Dance of Death are used in the Old Testament.

//<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Etchers' Role in Distribution: // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1651: Wenceslaus Hollar published 30 etchings, with a number of different editions <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Most of the series leave out the Astrologer, making an even 40 scenes.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1700's: The Etcher, Christian Von Mechel published his etchings "based on the original Holbein-drawings"; however, it seems to have been fake, and copies made my the real Peter Rubens. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Mechel-Brother's published George Scharffenburg's edition of //Dance of Death//

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1788: Deuchar copied Mechel's frontispiece and Hollar's etchings. =

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**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Artist: **
====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Hans Holbein the Younger//: (1497 - between October 7th and November 29th of 1543) ====

====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Holbein was born in the winter of 1497 in Augsburg, Germany, and learned his craft through his father, Hans Holbein the Elder, who was a master of the gothic tradition. In 1515, him and his brother, Ambrosius Holbein moved to Basel, Switzerland, where is believed that he painted his first 'Dances of Death' series. Two years later, he moved to Lucerne, where he was commissioned, alongside his father, to paint murals in the Mayor's mansion. As an adult during Martin Luther's critique of the Catholic Church, he too, identified as a Reformist. Throughout his religious works, he offers Reformist commentary in the form of satire and allegory. As a young artist in the North, he was not only influenced by his family's interest and influence in Northern art, but had matured during the time when the Northern masters, Dürer and Grünewald, were very much in the prime of their artistic careers (Britannica). By 1519, he had returned to Basel, and played an active role in the Reformation, as well as owning and running a workshop; he made murals, altarpieces, and helped translate for Martin Luther's Bible. At this point in his life, he was was already a part of the northern artists' guild. However, Switzerland was not open to the blatant critiques of the Catholic Church made my Reformists, and with the need for religious art declining, he was forced to move in 1526 to find a more financially stable position in London. There, he was employed to document the nobility of the Tudor Court. often commissioned by the court of Henry VIII, and is well known during this period with his portraits and coronation piece of Anne Boleyn, along with her ladies-in-waiting. After her beheading, Henry VIII married his 3rd wife, Jane Seymour; Holbein painted portraits of both her and her family. In his later years, he traveled between Basel and London, and was often commissioned by wealthy merchants or individuals related to the Crown. In 1543, he had officially moved to London and ended up dying from the Plague. (The National Gallery) ====

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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//David Deuchar// was a printmaker located in Edinburg, Scotland. He is known for creating etching out of many prints done by Dutch Masters, such as Ostade and Holbein, as well as etching afters painters like Rembracht and Raeburn. =====

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Dagger Scabbard: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">pen and wash drawing (perhaps Holbein)- maybe just taken from Mechel's edition <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">compared to one of the opening pages

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Frontispiece:


<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Offers "Explanations of The Subjects in The Triumph of Death"; this page explains the meaning behind the frontispiece <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Holbein coming through the curtain to find the luxuries of life alongside personified Death

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">no creation / plate one as frontispiece <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">46 plates <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Genesis: Story of Adam and Eve <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The Beginning of Mortality and Death's Dance

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Specifically with Christianity, it became more important to articulate Death's role in relation to the reality of Sin. With the Bible being the Word of God, and Genesis revealing the fall of man, it was integral that Christians understanding the significance of Death. The anthropomorphism of the Bible was therefore transmitted into how one understood Death: as a personification. Death became the inevitable result of our distance from God, which began with Eve's temptation, the original act of Sin, and the expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Statement of Power: **
====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Holbein's time period consisted of general unrest and Peasant's rebellions. The Reformation was gaining headway, and though this is not strictly a Reformist satire, the images reflect a deeply humanist critique of religious authorities and their abuse of power. ====

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Plate V: Pope **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Here, we see "The Pope Crowning an Emperor." On the left, we see a skeleton disguised as a Cardinal. Behind the Pope, we see another skeleton "embrac[ing] the Holy Father." The moment and entire scene has an aura of elitism; this is exaggerated by the setting, which includes a cross atop a mountain, and the range of ecclesiastical figures in the narrative. Death here, is a trickster, not only because he is disguised in Cardinal wear, but with his ludicrous position behind the Pope. The Emperor is also kissing the feet of the Pope! Dissimilar to other religious figures who experience Death, the Pope remains oblivious to his fate. This suggests an overall demeanor of obliviousness, where he is only concerned with bureaucratic ceremonies such as this, which affirm his authority and legitimate his reign.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Here, we see the Elector ignoring a poor woman and child, oblivious to the socio-economic oppression of the underprivileged. Not only does he ignore, but he turns away in disgust, thus epitomizing the sinful pleasures of power and its tole on an individual's humanity. Almost acting as a vigilante, "Death at this instant appears" and Death takes the role as justice for the ecclesiastical figures who continue to abuse their religious and political authority.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Plate VII: Elector **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Plate XI: Abbe **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The Abbess features the same narrative: "The Reverend Mother with great regret is leaving life and the honors she enjoys; and expresses, by the alteration of her features and by her cry, the fright that Death has produced in her Soul" <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ecclesiastical figures ignoring the poor, including the Cardinal, where he is living into the earthly pleasures of power and disregarding salvation!

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"with an air of tranquility and resignation, this worthy Pastor follows Death, who is leading him away laughing and dancing, whilst some shepherds, forgetting their flocks, are wondering here and there through the country, in despair for the loss of their chief."
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Plate VIII: Bishop **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Here, Death reveals the ludicrous nature of the power dynamics in Religious structures. Referring to Mark XXVII 14, where Jesus is referring to his future betrayals, proclaims "for the Scriptures say, "God will smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered” (103).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Symbol of injustice and self-indulgence! <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Plate XXIX: The Judge: **

=**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Science: **=

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Astrologer and Physician both unable to defeat Death through Knowledge!
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**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Critiquing the Upper-Class, Everyday, and the Immoral **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Including a Highway Robber, Merchant, Shipwrecked, Beggar, Blind man, Waggoner, Old Lady, etc)

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Plate XXIV: The Canoness **
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**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Plate XXI: The Duchess: **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(L): Deuchar's copy <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(R): Hans Lützelburger' initials

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">XLIII : The Blind Man **

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Plate XXXIX: The Drunkards **
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**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Plate XLVI: The Fool **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">