Dansende man en vrouw 1524

Barthel Beham created this print of a dancing man and woman with engraving in the early sixteenth century. The dancing peasant might seem a charming, genre scene at first glance, but consider the role of dance at this time in Germany. Notice the man is equipped with a sword, and appears on the precipice of a clearing. As the Protestant reformation swept through the Holy Roman Empire, which encompassed much of modern-day Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, many artists began to turn away from religious imagery. Prints like these were widely distributed and collected. Here, Beham seems to be responding to the changing role of peasant life in a time of great social and religious upheaval. Through close attention to the details of dress and setting, along with historical research into popular culture of the time, we can better understand the social dynamics represented in this small but fascinating print.