Death the Strangler, The First Outbreak of Cholera at a Masked Ball in Paris, 1831 1851

Alfred Rethel created this drawing, “Death the Strangler, The First Outbreak of Cholera at a Masked Ball in Paris, 1831,” depicting a scene of macabre revelry. Completed sometime between 1816 and 1859, the work serves as a chilling commentary on societal denial in the face of widespread death. The image shows a cholera outbreak during a masked ball, but it also reflects the broader social anxieties of 19th-century Europe, particularly the fear of disease and death that disproportionately impacted the poor. Rethel's stark, unflinching portrayal of death amid festivities challenges the viewer to confront uncomfortable truths about mortality and the ephemeral nature of pleasure. What could be more of a symbol of social inequality than the wealthy elite partying while others are literally dying in the streets? The artist captures the grotesque dance between life and death, revelry and despair, inviting us to reflect on our own mortality and the choices we make in the face of uncertainty.