What is the Dance of Death (Danse Macabre) in Medieval Art?
The Danse Macabre, or Dance of Death, was one of the most striking artistic traditions of the Middle Ages. Originating in 13th-century Europe during times of plague, war, and pestilence, this imagery showed skeletons dancing with kings, peasants, merchants, children, and clergy alike to remind viewers that death spares no one. Far from being purely grim, the Dance of Death encouraged people to reflect on life’s fleeting nature and to live meaningfully while they could. In this video, we explore the history of the Danse Macabre with the famous illustration in the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle.
This video is perfect for anyone interested in:
Medieval Art
Spooky Season
Art History
Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank
CHAPTERS
0:00 What Is the Danse Macabre (Dance of Death)?
0:33 Origins of the Danse Macabre in Medieval Europe
1:23 The Meaning of the Dance of Death
1:46 The Danse Macabre in the Nuremberg Chronicle
2:16 The Danse Macabre in Other Art
Learn more
Learn more about Fall and Spooky Season: https://www.artsq.org/fall-and-spooky-season
Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history
Standards Alignment
D2.His.2.6-8: Classify series of historical events and developments as examples of change and/or continuity. (Students can see how attitudes toward death in the Middle Ages influenced art and persisted/shifted into later European culture.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.7: Integrate information presented in different media or formats to develop a coherent understanding of a topic. (Using the video alongside a text source (like a medieval poem or chronicle) deepens comprehension.)
D2.Civ.7.6-8: Apply civic virtues and democratic principles in school and community settings. (The Dance of Death’s message (all people equal in death, regardless of social status) can spark discussion about equality and social values.)
D2.His.5.9-12: Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives. (Useful at high school level for connecting medieval worldviews to today’s reflections on mortality.)
