Dance of Death (Nuremberg Chronicle)

Why it's great

Skeletons dance with the living in this woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493. The Dance of Death, popular after the Black Death, reminded everyone that death comes for rich and poor alike.

🏛️ Part of history

The Black Death (1347–1351) — Skeletons dance with the living in this woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493.

Where to see it

📍 Location not recordedWe couldn't confirm where it hangs today. Museums sometimes move or lend paintings, so check the museum's website before you travel.

Hang it on your wall

⬇ Hi-res download 2,074 × 1,769 px · 3.7 megapixels · prints up to about 7 × 6 inches at 300 dpi File page & license ↗

Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:

💵 Budget Etsy ↗ Posters and simple prints from small sellers, usually the lowest prices. 🖼️ Mid-range Fine Art America ↗ Good printing on paper, canvas or metal, made to order, with framing options. 🏛️ High-end Meisterdrucke ↗ Museum-grade giclée prints on archival paper or canvas, the closest to the real thing.

These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.

About the artist

Michael Wolgemut

1434–1519 · born in Nuremberg

Michael Wolgemut was a German painter and printmaker born in Nuremberg in 1434. He ran a large workshop that illustrated the famous Nuremberg Chronicle in 1493, and the young Albrecht Dürer was his apprentice. He worked in Nuremberg and died there in 1519.