Bernt Notke’s Lübecker Totentanz (Death Dance of Lübecker) was destroyed by Allied bombing in March of 1942. The only remaining photograph of its entirety is the top photo above, grainy and in black and white.
I came across this photo last fall, while researching the theme of Dance Macabre. While that theme is ultimately too medieval and simple to be abstracted into my own work—“Death Unites All”—I found its formal representation to be very inspiring, especially in this painting. This sole, low-resolution photo of it entire is the way I came to know the painting and has a very beautiful abstract representation of the Totentanz theme.
I decided to make a personal restoration of this painting, through making a series on dance. This ultimately became Dance: 10 Works on Paper, and was six weeks of work.
Shortly after coming across the full photo I found a modern high resolution color photo of the surviving piece from the bombing (see bottom photo). I find the colors not very well done and it not a pleasing painting.
Fig 1. Full Painting, Black and White
Fig 2. Copy of Painting 1
Fig 3. Copy of Painting 2
Fig 4. Surviving Fragment, color
