Danse Macabre

Nuremberg chronicles - Dance of Death (CCLXIIIIv)

Charnier at Saints Innocents Cemetery

Danse Macabre - Guyot Marchand9 (Abbot and Bailiff)

Simon Marmion, Saint Bertin Altarpiece, ca 1459, Right wing, side A, Gemäldegalerie, Berlin

Totentanz Maria im Fels Beram

Danse Macabre (French for "Dance of Death") is an artistic genre of allegory from the late Middle Ages on the universality of death. It is a reminder that no matter one's station in life, the Dance of Death unites all. The Danse Macabre consists of the dead or a personification of death summoning representatives from all walks of life to dance along to the grave, typically with a monarch, pope, emperor, laborer, and infant to show that death does not discriminate. This concept was a reflection of the morbid fascination with death and the afterlife that permeated medieval European society, influenced by the Black Death and the Hundred Years' War, which reminded people of the fragility of life and the importance of living a moral life.

Origins and History

The origins of the Danse Macabre can be traced back to the mid-14th century, emerging within the context of the Black Death, which dramatically reduced the population of Europe and had a profound impact on the culture and the collective mindset of the people. The earliest recorded Danse Macabre is believed to have been a mural in the Cemetery of the Holy Innocents in Paris around 1424-25, now lost.

Themes and Interpretations

The Danse Macabre was not only a reflection on death but also served as a critique of contemporary social inequalities and a reminder of the Christian doctrine of the Last Judgment. It emphasized the vanity of earthly pleasures and riches and called for a life of spiritual preparation for the afterlife.

Artistic Representations

The Danse Macabre was depicted in various forms, including murals, manuscript illuminations, and sculptures. One of the most famous examples is the series of woodcuts by Hans Holbein the Younger in the 16th century, which vividly illustrated the Dance of Death with characters from all levels of society.

Literary Adaptations

The theme of the Danse Macabre has also been explored in literature, with several notable examples including the poem "La Danse macabre" by the French poet François Villon and the play Everyman, which, although not a direct representation of the Danse Macabre, shares similar themes of death and moral reckoning.

Influence and Legacy

The Danse Macabre has had a lasting influence on European culture and has been adapted and referenced in various forms throughout the centuries, including in music, such as the symphonic poem Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns, and in modern media, reflecting the enduring fascination with the themes of death and equality in the face of mortality.