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Skeleton of death aiming a dart at a Billingsgate fishwoman
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Skeleton of death aiming a dart at a Billingsgate fishwoman
Skeleton of death aiming a dart at a Billingsgate fishwoman with a basket on her head. Death and the Fishwoman. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Joshua Gleadah after an illustration by Benedictus Antonio Van Assen from The British Dance of Death, Hodgson, London, 1823
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Media ID 23382380
© Florilegius
Aiming Antonio Arrow Assen Benedictus Billingsgate Cruikshank Dart Doctor Gleadah Illness Joshua Patient Physician Quack Regency Sick Skeleton Veil Fishwoman
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This haunting hand-colored copperplate engraving, titled "Skeleton of Death aiming a dart at a Billingsgate Fishwoman," is an illustration from The British Dance of Death series published in London in 1823. The image, created by Benedictus Antonio Van Assen and engraved by Joshua Gleadah, depicts Death personified as a skeleton, dressed in a cloak and carrying a scythe, aiming a dart at a Billingsgate fishwoman. The fishwoman, wearing a traditional basket on her head, is oblivious to the impending danger as she goes about her daily business at the bustling Billingsgate Fish Market in London. The Dance of Death was a popular series of prints during the Regency era, which depicted the Grim Reaper claiming the lives of people from all walks of life, regardless of their social status or wealth. This particular illustration highlights the vulnerability of everyday people to illness and death, even in the midst of their daily routines. The skeleton's veil is lifted, revealing his skull, as he prepares to throw the dart, symbolizing the unavoidable and sudden nature of death. The fishwoman, a symbol of the working class, is shown as both a patient and a victim, carrying her basket of fish as if it were a burden, while also representing the sick and vulnerable. The image is reminiscent of the quack doctors and physicians of the time, who peddled their questionable cures and remedies to unsuspecting patients. The presence of a doctor, dressed in a robe and holding a medical bag, in the background adds to the ominous tone of the print, suggesting that even those who claim to heal can ultimately do no more than delay the inevitable. This poignant and thought-provoking image serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the inevitability of death, and invites us to reflect on the importance of cherishing each moment and living fully, while we still can.
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