Spotprent met toespelingen op het afgelopen jaar, 1870 1870

This satirical print by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans, made in 1870, presents a macabre dance of death reflecting on the events of the past year. Skeletons cavort with figures representing various aspects of society, from royalty to the military, alluding to political and social upheavals. The "dance of death," or "danse macabre," is a powerful motif in art history, a grim reminder of mortality that gained prominence during times of plague and social unrest. Its appearance here is no coincidence, tapping into a deep-seated fear and anxiety. We see this motif echoed in medieval illuminated manuscripts and later in the works of artists such as Holbein, each time reflecting the particular anxieties of the age. Note how these skeletal figures, stripped bare of flesh, serve as a stark equalizer. Whether embracing a king or leading soldiers, they underscore the transience of power and the inevitability of death, speaking to a collective memory of mortality that transcends time. In each era, the dance resurfaces, morphing to reflect new fears, yet always reminding us of our shared fate.