1887 Rare Book -The Dance of Death, Danse Macabre by Hans Holbein, illustrated.
(Description)
Author: Hans Holbein.
Title: The Dance of Death. Illustrated in Forty-Eight Plates.
Publisher: London, Hamilton, Adams & Co.; Glasgow, Thomas D. Morison, 1887.
Language: Text in English and French.
Size: 8.5" X 6".
Pages: 11+(96) pages.
Binding: Very good original full-cloth binding with gilt lettering on the spine. The front cover is plain, and the spine features a black stamped image of a skeleton (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a removable protective mylar cover.
Content: Near fine content (bright, tight, and clean - as shown, name and ex-libris of David Flather on the first endpaper - as shown).
Illustrations: Complete with 48 engraved plates showcasing Holbein's iconic Dance of Death. Each plate depicts death coming for individuals of various ranks and professions, highlighting the universality of mortality.
The book: The Dance of Death is one of Hans Holbein's most famous works, first published in the 16th century. These woodcut illustrations depict Death in various scenes, showing that no one, regardless of status, can escape their final fate. The 1887 edition reproduces Holbein’s iconic images in a fine presentation, with a scholarly introduction and a detailed appendix. This book is a testament to Holbein’s mastery in capturing the macabre and the inevitable truth of life’s end.
The author: Hans Holbein the Younger (c. 1497–1543) was a German-Swiss artist and printmaker who became one of the greatest portraitists of the 16th century. His Dance of Death woodcuts are a series of 16th-century works that illustrate the medieval allegory of the universality of death. Holbein's work remains celebrated for its detail and depth, capturing both the beauty and terror of life.