
Read the visual description
Drawing of a bishop confronting death in a pastoral scene. A skeleton figure, representing death, is depicted in dark robes facing a bishop holding a crosier. Sheep graze nearby. The sun shines over hills and structures in the background. The scene is enclosed by a frame decorated with crowns, skulls, scepters, helmets, and garlands. Two armored figures stand on either side. A Latin inscription is at the bottom of the drawing.
National Gallery of Art · Print
Bishop
Wenceslaus Hollar after Hans Holbein the Younger after Abraham van Diepenbeeck
- Date
- 1651
- Medium
- etching with border "Minerva and Hercules" (Pennington 233B)
- Classification
- Accession number
- 1943.3.4885
- Credit line
- Rosenwald Collection
- Time span
- 1651 to 1700
- Department
- CG-E
Portfolio and series
- Series
- Dance of Death [Pennington 233-262]
Subjects and terms
- Death
- Bohemian
- Costume
- Statue
- Skull
- Man
Provenance
Fritz Rumpf [1856-1927], Potsdam (Lugt 2161); (sale, C.G. Boerner, Leipzig, May 7-9, 1928, lot 588); purchased by Lessing J. Rosenwald [1891-1979], Jenkintown, PA (Lugt 1760b), 1928; gift to NGA, 1943.
NGA object ID 7807. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.