Der Tod als Freund (Death as a Friend)

Alfred Rethel, artist

1816–1859

Der Tod als Freund (Death as a Friend), 1851

Where object was made: Germany

Material/technique: woodcut

Dimensions:
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 340 x 272 mm
Image Dimensions Height/Width (Height x Width): 13 3/8 x 10 11/16 in
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 478 x 373 mm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 18 13/16 x 14 11/16 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 25 x 20 in

Credit line: Museum purchase

Accession number: 1987.0259

Not on display

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Label texts

Rethel witnessed a violent uprising associated with the revolutions of 1848 and 1849. This experience prompted his interest in reviving Dance of Death iconography from the early 1500s as part of a larger gothic revival movement in art. For the old man depicted in this woodcut, Death appears as a friend who helpfully pulls ropes to ring the church bells.

Exhibition Label:
"Corpus," Apr-2012, Kris Ercums
Rethel witnessed a violent uprising associated with the revolutions of 1848 and 1849. This experience prompted his interest in reviving Dance of Death iconography from the early 1500s as part of a larger gothic revival movement in art. For the old man depicted in this woodcut, Death appears as a friend who helpfully pulls ropes to ring the church bells.