The Count from the Dance of Death 1651 - 1800

Wenceslaus Hollar made this print, “The Count from the Dance of Death,” using the etching technique. He would have covered a copper plate with wax, drawn this image into it with a fine needle, and then bathed the plate in acid, which bites away the exposed lines. The extraordinary detail achieved shows Hollar’s mastery. Look closely and you'll see an aristocrat confronted by a skeleton, who is stealing his hat. It’s a macabre commentary on social class, made possible by the print medium. Etching allowed images to be reproduced and circulated widely. The Dance of Death was a popular theme in the early modern period, reminding viewers of their mortality. This print underscores the futility of earthly status in the face of death, but is also a product of the printmaking industry, and of a skilled etcher’s labor, which is quite literally etched into the copper. It's a potent reminder that even art is implicated in social and economic systems.