Death and the Merchant

This plate from Hans Holbein the Younger's "Danse Macabre" series depicts Death as a skeletal figure confronting a wealthy merchant. The merchant, laden with coins and clutching his ledger, appears startled and perhaps regretful as Death leads him away. The imagery highlights the universality of death, transcending social status and material wealth, a central theme of the Danse Macabre tradition. The meticulous detail and stark composition are characteristic of Holbein's masterful woodcuts, which brought a new level of artistic sophistication to the subject.