The Empress - Hans Holbein the Younger
Archival giclée
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Description
A woodcut from Hans Holbein the Younger's Dance of Death series, depicting an Empress being led away by a skeletal figure of Death.
This woodcut is a plate from the series known as the Dance of Death, or Les Simulachres et historiees faces de la mort. Hans Holbein the Younger designed these images in the mid-1520s, and they were cut into woodblocks by Hans Lützelburger. The series depicts Death as a skeletal figure interacting with individuals from various social strata, ranging from the Pope and the Emperor to the labourer and the child.
In this specific composition, titled Die Keyferinn, the Empress is shown in her finery, wearing a crown and elaborate robes. She is accompanied by a skeletal figure of Death, who gently but firmly leads her away. The scene is set against a backdrop of architectural structures, which provide a sense of place while keeping the focus on the interaction between the living and the personification of mortality. The lines are precise and economical, a hallmark of Lützelburger's skill in translating Holbein's drawings into the wood medium.
The Dance of Death was a popular theme in European art during the late medieval and early modern periods. Holbein's interpretation is noted for its psychological observation and its lack of moralising caricature. Instead, the figures are presented with a degree of realism that reflects the social hierarchies of the sixteenth century. The Empress, despite her status and wealth, is shown to be subject to the same fate as any other person. This print offers a clear example of the technical proficiency of Northern Renaissance printmaking, where the medium was used to disseminate complex visual narratives to a wider audience. The stark contrast of the black ink against the paper emphasises the clarity of the forms and the directness of the message.
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Specific Features
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Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
The Empress - Hans Holbein the Younger
Artist Biography
Hans Holbein The Younger
He was born in Augsburg, Germany, the son of a painter also called Hans Holbein. He studied under his father and was working independently by his late teens. He moved to Basel, where he painted portraits and religious works and illustrated Erasmus's In Praise of Folly with marginal drawings. Erasmus recommended him to Thomas More in England, writing that 'the arts are freezing' in Basel and Holbein should try his luck elsewhere.
He arrived in London in 1526 and painted More's family portrait, the first group portrait of a domestic scene in Northern European art. He returned to Basel, found the Reformation had destroyed the market for religious art, and went back to England permanently in 1532.
His portraits of the Tudor court are the visual record of the period: Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, Anne Boleyn (probably), Jane Seymour, and the succession of courtiers and merchants who populated Henry's orbit. The technique is almost supernaturally precise. The textures of fur, velvet, jewellery, and skin are rendered with a fidelity that makes other portraitists look approximate.
He was sent to paint prospective brides for Henry, including Anne of Cleves, whose portrait Henry found more attractive than the person. Holbein was not blamed. He died during a plague outbreak in London in 1543, at forty-five.
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