The Dance of Death: The Judge

1526

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

The Dance of Death: The Judge is a 1526 by Hans Holbein the Younger, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Hans Holbein the Younger
When & what style?: 1526 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This black-and-white print shows four figures in a room with wooden walls and a tiled floor. A skeleton on the left holds a staff and leans on a living man in a hat, who looks down. Another man in armor stands stiffly to the right, gripping a sword. The scene feels tense, like a warning. The print is part of a series called *The Dance of Death*, where skeletons remind people of their mortality. Here, the judge’s armor and serious face show how even powerful people can’t escape death. Next, look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see this print in person.