Dance of Death I

Allaert Claesz

Engraving on laid paper

National Gallery of Art

This haunting 16th-century engraving belongs to Allaert Claesz's celebrated 'Dance of Death' series, depicting the medieval allegory of the Danse Macabre where skeletal figures of death lead mortals from all stations of life to their inevitable fate. Executed with masterful precision on laid paper, this Northern Renaissance print captures the era's fascination with mortality following devastating plague epidemics. Claesz was a Dutch engraver active from 1520-1555 who became renowned for his intricate small-scale engravings, and this piece exemplifies the powerful tradition of memento mori art that reminded viewers death spares no one—from kings to peasants.