The Lovers Surprised by Death
1510
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
About the artist
Artist
Hans Burgkmair the Elder
Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531) was a German artist, born in Augsburg.
See the richer artist page1510
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
The Lovers Surprised by Death is a 1510 by Hans Burgkmair the Elder, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A man and woman sit close together. Behind them, a skeleton with black wings floats in. The skeleton holds a tipped hourglass. This isn’t just a scary picture. In 1510, most woodcuts used one extra color block. Burgkmair used two tone blocks plus a line block, and all three must print to see the full image. The mix of Northern death imagery and Italian-style buildings makes it unusual. Look up chiaroscuro next.
This is the earliest known chiaroscuro woodcut to be composed of a line block and two tone blocks rather than just one tone block. However, unlike the majority of German chiaroscuro woodcuts, the line block alone does not provide a coherent image. All three of the blocks must be printed for the design to be complete. The subject is a remarkably effective combination of a typically Northern subject—a grim representation of Death—and an evocative Italian setting. The classical architecture, the gondola on a canal, and the distinctively wide chimney pots indicate Venice, where Burgkmair would…
Read the full account in the museum source.
Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531) was a German artist, born in Augsburg.
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