Dance Of Death: Physician and Cripple.


Click for full size. Text translation in comments. Is it just me, or does the urine-inspector* look like Sam Harris? (*See translation.)

Comments

  1. says

    Todt zum Doctor:
    Herr Doctor b’schawt die Anatomey
    An mir, ob sie recht g’machet sey:
    Dann du hast manchen auch hing’richt,
    Der eben gleich, wie ich jetzt sicht.

    Death to The Physician:
    Mr. Physician, inspect the anatomy
    on me, whether it’s made right.
    Because you have also executed many,
    who now look exactly like I.

    Der Doctor:
    Ich hab mit meinem Wasser bschawen
    Geholffen beyde Mann und Frawen:
    Wer b’schawt mir nun das Wasser myn,
    Ich muß jetzt mit dem Todt dahin.

    The Physician:
    I have with my urine-inspecting
    helped both men and women.
    Who inspects my water now?
    I must now [go] away with Death.

    Todt zum Krüppel:
    Hincke auch her mit deiner Krucken,
    Der Todt wil dich jetzund hinzucken:
    Du bist der Welt gantz unwerth sehr,
    Komm auch an meinen Tantz hieher.

    Death to The Cripple:
    You too, hobble over here with your crutch;.
    Death will now snatch you away.
    You have been wholly unworthy to the world.
    Come to my dance here, you too.

    Der Krüppel:
    Ein armer Krüppel hie auff Erd,
    Zu einem Freund ist niemand werth:
    Der Todt aber wil sein Freund syn,
    Er nimpt ihn mit dem Reichen hin.

    The Cripple:
    A poor cripple here on Earth.
    Not worthy of being anybody’s friend.
    But Death will be his friend,
    he takes him away [along] with the rich.

  2. coragyps says

    Heh! I have a medical school diploma of my great-great-?-grandfather’s from 1851 or so that shows a skeleton inviting a young man in a suit into his cave. Your pictures could have come out of the same workshop!

  3. says

    These were done by Hieronymous Hess, who was commissioned to copy the earlier works, which were copies of the original wall mural, which was done around 1435-1441, so I doubt there’s any connection. As I mentioned in the first post, there was a wide body of work by various artists through the centuries which dealt with the dance of death, in an amazing variety of styles.

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