In Painting and in Print, by T. TINDALL WILDRIDGE. With Woodcuts.
“The origin of the Dance has been conjectured to have been one of the
religious mysteries, moralities, or dramatic exhibitions which at the
same time supplied a comedy and a homily. There certainly was an acted
processional dance in which the players one by one were snatched away;
Cervantes in ‘Don Quixote’ mentions it as the ‘Cortes of Death.’ ...
The earliest painting of the Dance of Death is said to be that at
Basil, though it is probable that many of which we have information
are as old. The German and Swiss bridges, so often, too, the site of
religious buildings, were decorated with the representation; an example
is upon the Pont des Moulins leading into Lucerne, where is a fine
Dance, restored within the last few years.” The blocks illustrating
this work are a series found in a northern printing office many years
ago. They seem to be of considerable age, and are somewhat close copies
of Holbein’s designs.
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