The Heathen and his wife, by Frölich (1588)

The Heathen and his wife, by Frölich (1588)

The image represents the Heathen and his wife on the left holding hands. On the right, a skeleton with a veil and breasts looks at the couple and holds the Heathen's hand. The skeleton is thus represented as female but attends to both genders the husband (male) and wife (female).

Frölich, Huldreich (Ulrich) (c. 1572-1610)

Image from Basel's Dance of death published by Frölich in 1588 in his book "Zwen Todentäntz, deren der eine zu Bern dem andern Ort hochloblicher Eydtgenosschafft zu Sant Barfüßern, der ander aber zu Basel, dem neunten Ort gemelter Eydtgnosschafft auff S. Predigers Kirchhof mit Teutschen Versen, darzu auch die Lateinischen kommen, ordenlich sind verzeichnet Mit schönen und zu beyden Todentäntzen dienstlichen Figuren, allerley Standt und Völcker gebreuchliche Kleydung abbildende, gezieret. […] (Two dances of death, one of which in Bern, the other place highly praiseworthy Eydtgenos in Sant Barfüßern, but the other in Basel, the ninth place, Eydtgnos in S. Predigers Kirchhof with German verses, to which the Latin come, are neatly recorded with beautiful and adorned with official figures, all of Standt and Völcker's customary clothes. [...])". 

Found on the "The Dance of Death" webpage:
http://www.dodedans.com/Exhibit/Image.php?lang=e&navn=froelich-36

Archived in:
https://web.archive.org/web/20130130190502/http://www.dodedans.com/Exhibit/Image.php?lang=e&navn=froelich-36

1588

Woodcut.
Dimensions: Unknown