THE DANCE OF DEATH.

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tainted byJbject; itThese areupon thismd fortu-it upon it.lave beenhey some-me degreemve beenThis wastiicones,"much in-a differentutably bybefore thea cotem-3s upon ain*. Tofirst fourthey like-esent theifferent ine analogj Tistance ofe printer ;things,, asrespectivei;inated an

o. p. 445.

opinion,, that Holbein invented the Dance ofDeath.

But it has not only been asserted that Holbeindesigned, but that he engraved, or rather cutthis Dance of Death on wood. That he practisedthis art, nay, that he excelled in it, there is reasonto believe, from some specimens that have beenpreserved, and which bear on them the unequi-vocal marks of H. H. & HANS. HOLBEN*.A set of cuts with the latter mark occurs in Arch-bishop Crammer's Catechism, printed by WalterLyneinl548; and although the composition ofthese is extremely good, their execution is notonly inferior to the Dance of Death, but entirelydifferent in its manner: and the mark of Hj whichis to be seen upon one of the cuts in this latterwork, has been ascribed without any authority toHolbein, upon the strength of the vague opinionsconcerning his interference with the Dance of

Death f.

The great popularity and success of these cutsvery soon excited many imitations of them bothin copper and on blocks. In 1541, Aldegreverengraved eight of them, but with very materialalterations. Other editions of the Imagines Mor-

* It is not however impossible that Holbein, in putting hismark upon these cuts, might only intend to shew that he de-signed them, or drew the subject upon the blocks.

+ This mark is also given by Professor Christ, in his Diction-naire des Monogrammes, to Hans Lautensack, and Hans Le-derer, persons of whom absolutely nothing is known.

I