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Macaber
The dance macaber. The Dance of the dead (q.v.) (French, dance macabre.) A dance over which Death presides, supposed to be
executed by the dead of all ages and conditions. It is an allegory of
the mortality of man, and was a favourite subject of artists and poets
between the 13th and 15th centuries. It was originally written in
German, then in Latin, and then in French. Some think Macaber was the
name of the author, but others think the word is the Arabic makabir,
a cemetery. The best illustrations are those by Minden, Lucerne,
Lubeck, Dresden, and Basle. Holbein's painting is very celebrated
“What are these paintings on the wall around us? The dance macaber.”Longfellow: The Golden Legend.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Macaber from Infoplease:
- Macaber - Macaber The dance macaber. The Dance of the dead (q.v.) (French, dance macabre.) A dance over which ...
- Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: M - Definitions, origins, and illustrative excerpts for words, phases, and literary allusions starting with "M"
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