Statue of cadaver with a lute

Plaster statue of cadaver with lute escorting Duchess Plaster statue of cadaver with lute escorting Duchess Plaster statue of cadaver with lute escorting Duchess

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Plaster statue of cadaver with lute escorting Duchess
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Plaster statue of cadaver with lute escorting Duchess
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Plaster statue of cadaver with lute escorting Duchess
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Plaster statue of cadaver with lute escorting a Duchess, one of a set of 37 statues, representing the Dance of Death, probably English, early to mid 19th century

This is one of a set of 37 statues representing the dance in which death summons reluctant mortal revellers to join his dance. The story of Death Calling the Dance is reputedly of German origin. The imagery arose in the 1400s when Europe was ravaged by the Black Death and other outbreaks of plague. It was made famous throughout Europe by copperplate engravings, particularly during the 1600s when plague returned in force.

Details

Category:
Classical & Medieval Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A654860 Pt10
Materials:
plaster
type:
statue and cast