The Dance of Death

The tradition of the Dance of Death or Danse Macabre can be found all over Europe. Here in the North East, a striking reminder of its prominence can be found in Hexham Abbey, in this painting that depicts a cardinal dancing with a skeleton.

As this image suggests, traditionally Death is shown ‘dancing’ representatives of all classes, ranks and occupations to their death – men and women, old and young, rich and poor, powerful and humble. The Dance made the moral point that however powerful in life, we all die in the end; the warning should urge us all to live a good life.

There is some evidence that the dance was not only shown in paintings like this, but also sometimes enacted. A dance of death will be performed as part of the Sacred and the Profane show during the Theatrum Mundi festival in July.