#danceofdeath

This engraving sure makes us feel a little closer to Halloween! It comes from the 1725 edition of “Todten-Tantz,” or Dance of Death. A common allegory in Christian Europe, the Dance of Death was meant to serve as a reminder that death comes for all people, no matter their social rank, age, or devoutness. The engravings in this book were originally made by Matthaeus Merian in the early 1600s, and each one depicts death leading off a different type of person, including a pope, a king, a merchant, a heathen, and a painter. Death with the Abbess is shown here. [N7720 .M47 1725] #SpineTingling #rubensteinlib #iglibraries #librariesofinstagram #rarebooks #danceofdeath
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