The Dance of Death, also known as the Danse Macabre or the Totentanz, was a very popular theme in the art of the Middle Ages. The infamous black plague carried off kings, cardinals, and commoners alike, striking without warning.
It was enough to really get a person down, but artists of the era responded with surprisingly good humor. Simple but lively woodblock illustrations depicted common society types interacting directly with their own Death, usually represented by a cheery and worm-eaten cadaver playing a jaunty tune.
This wee, kooky little boutique art book updates that theme for the people of the 21st century. Measuring in at adorably just over 5x5" (12.7 cm), it features 48 full-color pages of art and snarky commentary (in rhyme!) on the inevitably demise of such contemporary figures as:
- The Blogger
- The CEO
- The Celebutante
- The Hipster
...and more!
Also included are several images from the famous Heidelberger Totentanz of 1488 that inspired this volume, along with nerdy historical commentary by yours truly, and a scintillating intro by the internet's favorite mortician, Caitlin Doughty of Ask A Mortician!
