Death And The Maiden Essay

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DEATH AND THE MAIDEN Derived from the Danse Macabre, an artistic genre of Late Medieval allegory on the universality of death, the Death and the Maiden motif has been inspiration for works of Art from painting and sculpture to plays and musical compositions. Though this concept has been utilised many times over the centuries, little has been said concerning its allegorical meaning or its psychological impact. Death and the Maiden is a common motif in Renaissance art, especially in painting, and music. It was developed from the Dance of Death. The new element was an erotic subtext. A prominent representative is Hans Baldung Grien. Hans Baldung Grien, a contemporary of Holbein, seems to specifically specialize in encounters between sumptuous …show more content…

Her voluptuous body is completely naked except for a light gossamer cloth that flows from her shoulder and wraps around her hips. Her face is plaintive, tears flow from her eyes, and her hands are clasped as she begs death to let her go. Death answers her by gesturing to the grave with his right hand. She does not struggle, for it is the inevitable end for all to succumb to the will of death.” Hans Baldung grows bolder as a more erotic tone emerges in “The Three Ages and Death.” In it, cadaverous Death leads a naked old woman away by the arm. In his hand he holds the hourglass, nearly devoid of sand. The old woman looks back to a young maiden as she and Death pass. The elder reaches out and places one hand upon the younger woman’s shoulder while her other hand pulls away a drapery covering the maiden’s body. The maiden is a contrast to the old woman: her breasts are strong, her hips broad, her body taunt. At the maiden’s feet lies what she, herself, will bring forth: an infant girl. These are the three ages: the child will grow up to become the maiden and bear children, but will age into the old woman who will be taken by death. The natural cycle will continue

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