Totentanz

The "dance of death," or danse macabre, is a medieval allegorical concept that represents the all-conquering and equalizing power of death. It is primarily expressed in the visual arts, poetry, music, and drama of Western Europe, particularly during the late Middle Ages.12

This concept is typically depicted as a procession or dance involving both living and dead figures. The living are often shown arranged by social rank, from the pope and emperor down to commoners, all being led to the grave by skeletal figures. The dance of death emerged from poems in the late 13th or early 14th century, emphasizing the inevitability and impartiality of death. Its prevalence increased due to the widespread fear of death, exacerbated by events like the Black Death in the mid-14th century and the Hundred Years' War.12

Notable artistic representations include a series of paintings from 1424–25 in Paris and the woodcuts by Guy Marchant. The German artist Hans Holbein the Younger's series of drawings, engraved in 1538, is considered a culmination of this theme, depicting Death surprising victims in their daily lives. While the theme's hold lessened during the Renaissance, it was revived in 19th-century Romantic literature and music.1