Fresco of the Danza Macabra

The Danza Macabra (or Dance of Death) fresco is located on the east façade of the Oratorio dei Disciplini, also known as the Battuti, the Disciplini were amongst the oldest and most prevalent confraternities in the late-Middle Ages. Concerned for their salvation after death, they dedicated themselves to a life of prayer and penance. This was the congregation that lived within the Oratory of the same name. On the façade of this Oratory is a fresco depicting all three great medieval themes of death in a single work. The three themes are the Triumph of Death, the Dance of Death and the Meeting of the Three Living and the Three Dead.

The Meeting of the Three Living and the Three Dead

This encounter is the oldest macabre theme that has been passed down to us. Its development began in the mid-13ᵗʰ century. With the coming of the crises and epidemics of the 14ᵗʰ century, the Church played on the restlessness of the faithful, as recalled in the memento mori – “remember that you must die” – the ideal pivotal motif to call Christians to order.

In Clusone, the Meeting is visible in the upper part of the fresco, to the left of the Triumph. The figures of three knights stand out, depicted during a hunting game with a falcon upon finding themselves face-to-face with Queen Death, all having different reactions. The first slumps on his horse struck by an arrow, the second tries to flee whilst looking upon Death to monitor her actions, whilst the last flees without turning back around.

The uniqueness of the work in Clusone lies in the fact that the Encounter and the Triumph come together to form a single narrative. Namely, the three deceased are represented by the three skeletons of the Triumph and, amongst them, the central figure represents the one they must all confront: Death.

As in all representations of the Encounter, the three hunters are thus summoned by Death: “We were as you now are; you will be as we now are!”

The Meeting of Clusone is more a reference to the legend than an actual representation of the theme.

The Triumph of Death

The part of the fresco dedicated to the Triumph is undoubtedly that which most attracts the viewer’s attention. Located in the upper section, it occupies approximately half of the entire work.

The first thing that strikes viewers in this section of the painting is the majesty of Queen Death who, depicted wearing a crown and cloak, demonstrates her enormous power by resting her feet on the rotting corpses of the two highest authorities: the Pope and Emperor.

Next to her, two other skeletons kill all those who crowd around the sarcophagus. The one on the right is armed with an arquebus whereas the one on the left has a bow and three arrows – each representing the three macabre themes of plague, death and famine.

The outline of the tomb containing the Pope and Emperor is haunted by various animals all representing the sphere of the macabre with their individual characteristics. The snakes, with their slithering on the ground, unite the world of the living with that of the dead. Then there are scorpions able to kill living beings with a flick of the tail and finally toads, animals that by tradition and belief have been and are closely linked to the theme of death.

Around the tomb throng numerous figures of men and women, some already dead and others alive but close to death.

Note how in the Danza Macabra fresco, the painter depicts the different reactions of the men as they come into contact with Death. Some want to buy her favour by giving her wealth, others – knowing what awaits them – are intent on counting on their fingers the days left before their demise. One man despairs of his fate by covering his face with his hands. Others, now resigned to and aware of what awaits them, are shown praying with an expression of resignation.

Clearly visible are the four cartouches starting from the figure of Queen Death and bearing these words:

“Gionto (io sono) per nome chiamata morte ferisco a chi / tocherà la sorte no è homo così forte che da / mi po schampare.”

“Ogna omo more / e questo mondo lassa / chi offende a Dio amaramente passa 1485.”

“Gionto la morte piena de equalenza solo voy ve volio e non vostra richeza e digna sonto de portar corona poiché signorezi ognia persona.”

“Chi è fundato in la justitia … / e lo alto Dio non discha … / la morte a lui non ne vien … / Poj che in vita eterna …”

The Danza Macabra

In the band below the Triumph is a fresco of the Danza Macabra, the most popular theme in the entire complex.

This dance is meant to represent each one’s own demise, where each man meets His Death, who leads him in the dance of life and death.

Less of a dance and more like a composed procession parading along a cemetery wall adorned with barely-perceptible skulls. Skeletons and the living seem to move along without much contrast, with the living portraying sadness rather than fear.

Between the upper and lower areas is a thin white line with the following message inside:

“O ti che serve a Dio del bon core. Non avire pagura a questo ballo venire. Ma allegramente vene e non temire: poi chi nase elli convene morire.”

From this sentence, we can glean that the subjects depicted below are intent on an actual dance and not a procession. Amongst the various hypotheses, it has also been suggested that, in the ruined part of the fresco, there was a skeleton orchestra whose music marked the beat of the dance.

This section of the fresco should be read from left to right. At the beginning, we see a door from which exits a confused group of characters about to partake in the dance, followed by many figures of the time, including a woman who gazes into a mirror and sees a skeleton accompanying her in the reflection, a disciple intent on scourging himself and a poor labourer. The fourth character is one of the most discussed, due to the vessel in his hand and the colour of his trousers. The theories put forward are a doctor with the uroscopy vessel, a patient who is taking the vessel to a doctor, a chemist or even an innkeeper with a spouted bottle in hand, followed by an armourer, a usurer, a student, poet or a man of letters.

Vices and Virtues

After ‘dancing’ with one’s own skeleton and reaching death, their fate is revealed: eternal damnation or salvation. The large fresco also dedicates a final band to Vices and Virtues. The first theme is on the left, depicted as a huge toothed jaw engulfing the figures of the damned. The second theme illustrates paradise for the virtuous, where a group of disciples are represented achieving salvation through their life of penance and mercy.