The Dance of Death: The Cardinal

Why it's great

A skeleton gently takes a cardinal by the robe in one of Holbein's Dance of Death woodcuts. The pictures were often both frightening and funny, and they were very popular after the Black Death.

🏛️ Part of history

The Black Death (1347–1351) — A skeleton gently takes a cardinal by the robe in one of Holbein's Dance of Death woodcuts.

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 1,000 × 1,279 px · 1.3 megapixels This is the largest scan on Wikimedia Commons, which is fairly small for a big print. The museum that owns it may offer a larger one. 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

Hans Holbein the Younger

1497–1543 · born in Augsburg · died in London

Hans Holbein the Younger was a German painter born in Augsburg in about 1497. He worked in Basel and then in London, where he became court painter to King Henry VIII and painted portraits that made the Tudors famous. He died in London in 1543, probably of the plague.