Death and the Child

This woodcut, "Death and the Child," is part of Hans Holbein the Younger's iconic series, "The Dance of Death" (Danse Macabre), first published in 1538. This particular image poignantly illustrates the inescapable nature of death, even in the tenderest and most vulnerable stage of life. Death is depicted as a skeletal figure, reaching for an infant in its cradle. The scene serves as a stark reminder that mortality touches all, irrespective of age or innocence. Holbein's series was revolutionary for its time, bringing the concept of the Dance of Death down from the grand allegorical settings to everyday life, personifying death in direct interaction with people from all social strata.