Publisher's Synopsis
The English Dance of Death From the Designs of Thomas Rowlandson is a book that features the artwork of Thomas Rowlandson, an 18th-century English caricaturist and illustrator. The book was compiled and published by Rudolph Ackermann, a German-born English bookseller and publisher, in 1815. The book's title refers to the medieval concept of the Dance of Death, which depicted death as a skeleton leading people from all walks of life in a dance to their graves. Rowlandson's illustrations show various characters, from the wealthy to the destitute, being led by death in a macabre dance. The book contains 36 hand-colored etchings, each accompanied by a satirical poem that comments on the social and political issues of the time. The illustrations and poems provide a humorous and critical view of English society, including its class divisions, political corruption, and moral decay. The English Dance of Death From the Designs of Thomas Rowlandson is considered a masterpiece of English satire and a significant contribution to the tradition of the Dance of Death. It has been reprinted and republished several times over the years and remains a popular collectible item for book collectors and art enthusiasts.1903. This book contains Volumes 1 and 2 of the original work. The Dance of Death is a subject so well known to have employed the talents of distinguished painters in the Ages of Superstition, that little is required to recall it to the recollection of the antiquary, the lover of the arts and the artist. The present object is merely to attract the public attention to the subject itself. Few remains are now visible of the original paintings which represented it, but they have been perpetuated by the more durable skill of the engraver. The myriad of illustrations are coupled with skillfully written poetry, all descriptive of the Dance of Death.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
