Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 4.djvu/696

 DANCING

618

DANCING

preserved in the Altsfeld Passion Plays, in the French moraUty entitled "Charity", and in the Ncumarkt Passion Play which opens with the triumph of Death. As the painter's art developed, the dance of death was in a way made permanent by being painted on the en- closing walls of cemeteries, on charnel-houses, in mor- tuary chapels, and even in churches. These repre- sentations are found in most of the countries of Eu- rope. One of the most famous is the "Triumph of Death" in the cemetery of Pisa, painted between 1450 and 1500. One of the oldest j^ictures of the dance of death proper is that in the Cimetiere des Innocents at Paris (1425). Baumker, in Herder's " Krchenlexi- kon ' ', enumerates seven French dances of death dating back to the fifteenth century, three of the sixteenth century, three of the seventeenth centun,', seven of uncertain date, five in England, and four in Italy. Within the limits of the old German Empire there still exist some thirty painted dances of death scattered throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In many representations underneath the several couples are found a rhymed dialogue between Death and his victims, being the invitation of the former and the reply of his victim.

Ch.vrles G. Herberm-ojn.

With the development of his art the dance of death naturally became a popular theme for the engraver. Many such prints were produced liy various German artists, but the most famous version is that of the younger Holbein, issued in 153S by the brothers Trechsel at Lyons. It appears to be clear from the researches of Wornum and Woltmann, of Paul Mantz, of W. J. Linton, the Rev. G. Da\-ies, C. Dodgson, and others, that the drawings were undoubtedly the work of Hans Holbein the younger, who was resident in Basle up to the autumn of 1520, before which time the drawings must have been produced. They are dis- tinctly in his manner and of extraordinarily high merit. There is no evidence that Holbein ever cut a wood block himself, and when these were issued it was expressly stated that the artist or engraver, who is now generally accepted as Hans Liitszelberger, one of the greatest of German engravers, was dead. But little is known of his career. lie was certainly dead before 1526. The designs appear to have been cut on the wood eleven j'ears before the book was published, and their issue was probably held back by reason of the unsettled state of religious opinion in Basle. The series comprises forty-two engravings, the subjects expressed with masterly dramatic power, marvellous clearness, and marked reticence of line. Technically they are as perfect as woodcuts can be. There are five sets of proof impressions in existence, and the Ht- tle book passed through nine editions at Lyons and was printed also in Venice, Augsburg, and Basle. There have been many reissues and reproductions of it, and a facsimile of the first edition was published in Munich in 18S4.

Besides the " Dance of Death" Holbein designed a series of initials consisting of an alphabet in which it is the motij. Of Holbein's larger "Dance of Death " more than one himdred editions have appeared. Since Holbein this sul)ject has been treated again and again, especially by (iprman engravers. The most noted of recent dances of death is that by Alfred Rethel, 1S48, in which Death is represented as the hero of the Red Republic. Both the conception and the execution of Rethel's engravings are highly artistic and impressive.

BXl-MKKR in KiTclirnhi., f". w'Tndtinlan:; Khaus, Gi'sch. dcr dirisllichen Kuiust (Freihiire iiii Hi., Isut>-||T). 11.

GKOKCUi ClI.^.ULKS WILLIA.MSON.

Dancing.— The origin of dancing is to be sought in tlu' natural tenilency to employ gesture cither to sup- plement or to replace spei'i-h. Strong emotions, in particular, key up tlic organs to a pitch of exaltation which spontaneously manifests itself through more or

less rhythmical movements that constitute what may be considered as elementary and natural dances. But in the same manner as speech soon developed into poetry and song, so also did these bodily movements gradually develop into the art of dancing. Both spontaneous and artistic dancing may be described as "an expression of the feelings by movements of the body more or less controlled bj' a sense of rhythm" (J. Millar), and are to some degree practised by all peoples. The Hebrews were no exception; their lan- guage contains no less than eight verbs to express the idea of dancing. However, many of the allusions found in the Bible point to mere spontaneous expres- sions of merriment by leaping, circling, or otherwise. Of this description were very likely the dances of Marj' and the women of Israel after the crossing of the Red Sea (Exod., xv, 20), of the people aroimd the golden calf (Exod., xxii, 19), of Jephte's daughter coming to meet her father after the latter's victory (Judges, xi, 34), of the inhabitants of the cities on the way of the array commanded by Holophemes (Judith, iii, 10), even of David before the Ark (II K., vi, 5, 22). From these various places it might be inferred that dancing was a manifestation of joy ordinarily exhibited by women, and we know how David, in the occurrence above re- ferred to, excited Michol's wonder. In later times dancing was positively looked upon as imbecoming men; such also was the opinion in Rome, where the saying ran that a man, to indulge in dancing, must be either intoxicated or mad.

Dancing as an art was made subservient to various purposes. Its use as an aid to heighten the splendour of religious celebrations should be first considered. Religious dances consisted mostly of slow and stately processions through the streets of the city or around the altar. LTsually they were performed by colleges of priests; but occasionally citizens of both sexes and all ranks, without any disparagement to the gravity of their characters or dignity of position, took a part in these exhibitions (Liv., I, xx; Quintil., I, ii, 18; Mac- rob., Sat. ii, 10). All religious dances, however, were not performed with the gravity above referred to. In Rome, the sah'i, carrjing the sacred shields through the streets, leapt and jumped clumsily "like stamping fullers" (Senec. Ep. xv). The Bible describes likewise the priests of Baal limping (so Heb. ; D. V. : " leaping ") around the altar (III K., xrviii, 26). Throughout the East sacred dances were a prominent feature in relig- ious worship. In Egj-pt even colleges of female sing- ers and dancers were annexed to certain shrines. That dancing was also an accompaniment of the Jahweh worship is probable from Judges, xxi, 21, for early times, and clearly evidenced by Pss. cxlix, 3, and cl, 4, for the epoch following the captivity. The texts seem further to indicate that, in the second Temple, persons engaged in dancing and singing in God's hon- our formed choirs similar to those of the pagan rites (Cic, Phil., V, 6; Virg., ^n., VIII, 718; Hor., Od., I, i, 31).

War dances, so common among many peoples, and which were frequently introduced to enhance the pageants of public festivities among the Greeks and Romans, have left no trace among the Hebrews and their neighbours, although they are not imknown to modern inhabitants of Palestine and Arabia. M raetic dances were as little known in the East as those of a militarj' character. They consisted of expressive movements of the features, body, arms, and hands, executed to a musical accompaniment and meant vividly to represent historical or fabulous events and the actions and pa.ssions of well-known characters. How much such performances were relished by the Romans, we learn from many pa.ssages of Latin writers, such, e.g., as Maerob., Sat. ii, 7;Suet.,"Calig.", 57, "Nero", 54, "Tit.", 7; Ovid, "Ars Am.", I, 595, etc. Still more was scenic dancing in favour in Rome and Greece. It consisted of harmonious movements