# Soliciting your first impressions on what you see in a figure in a woodcut **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 2, 2026, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284 "2026-01-02T21:23:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/101 "2026-01-06T18:14:25Z")
> [@Orville\_mogul](#): > > … > > Out of curiosity, the prints that you own, are they originals or more recent reproductions? I don’t see the usual series numbering (xx/yy) or a signature so would guess the latter. Looking up the publication it seems that only the only first 80 prints were numbered - possily an exercise in differential pricing? ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/102 "2026-01-06T18:46:16Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Agreed, he looks like a sharply dressed showdancer Every girl crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man? ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/103 "2026-01-06T18:56:20Z")
I knew this would happen… 😂 ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/104 "2026-01-06T19:22:46Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > Thanks to @Darren_Garrison for [generating and posting AI image interpretations of this woodcut in another thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ai-image-generation-is-getting-crazy-good/1017203/1578). Whoa, yea, thanks. That’s pretty much on the nose except I think we could increase his dancing movement / posture 20%. He looks a bit stiff in the AI renders but more bent at the waist and midmove in the block. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/105 "2026-01-06T21:31:54Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I don’t see both of them as naked, certainly not the male. And the woman is definitely wearing heels (less clear if the man is wearing shoes or the feet are just extremely stylized). I’ve acknowledged the shoes are there. But we can see what appears to be the woman’s breasts and nipples. And she doesn’t have any lines that suggest a dress. I suppose she could be dancing topless in a pair of yoga tights but that seems unlikely for a woodcut from 1970. So I feel the woman is nude. And once you’ve established the woman is nude, this increases the odds that the man is also nude. I feel a nude couple dancing is more typical in a piece of art than a nude person dancing with a clothed person. So I feel any ambiguity in the male figure should incline towards nudity. This is my two cents on the issue. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/106 "2026-01-06T23:07:23Z")
Male figure appears to me to have a white shirtfront and a tie. Also, her breasts are bouncing wildly. His genitals aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/107 "2026-01-06T23:16:57Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Male figure appears to me to have a white shirtfront and a tie. I saw a shirt and tie at first too, but now I think that might just be the outline of his left arm reaching around to slap is right hip. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/108 "2026-01-06T23:38:52Z")
I don’t see his left hand, which I would expect to if he were twisting his left arm around his body like that. I think the left hand is just behind his body, his left arm being held back partly behind his left side. And the white area is the right width for a shirtfront, but would be a huge gap for a dividing line. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/109 "2026-01-06T23:42:22Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I think the left hand is just behind his body Then what do the two stitched lines across his right hip represent? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/110 "2026-01-06T23:46:52Z")
All arcs in this work, and other works by the same artist, continue longer than they should. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/111 "2026-01-06T23:54:18Z")
I’ve no idea; but there are two similar lines further up on his body, as well as a solid line across his right wrist. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/112 "2026-01-06T23:59:10Z")
Agreed: she is holding onto his tie, and either you can see through his shirt and body, or the intervening line is his arm. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/113 "2026-01-07T01:08:08Z")
I don’t see them as anything but breasts, and I asked my wife and she also sees them as breasts. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/114 "2026-01-07T02:11:05Z")
Okay, I did some googling and I found a theory that I don’t think has been mentioned in this thread. The woodcut is depicting the Dance of Death. This is a theme that dates back to the Renaissance. The idea is to illustrate mortality by showing a figure in the midst of life dancing with death. Death’s partner is sometimes shown as a powerful man wearing the symbols of his power. But many other depictions show a young woman, often naked, in the prime of her beauty. The idea is that death is always there and nobody escapes it. I found some people have suggested Grieshaber was using this idea. The woman, arguably nude and pregnant, is in the midst of life. But the black figure she is dancing with is death, which is always nearby. And the green grass covering them represents a grave. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/115 "2026-01-07T02:16:37Z")
I mean, it could work. But the artwork looks too jazzy, to me, to really fit with a medieval theme like that. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/116 "2026-01-07T02:27:48Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The woodcut is depicting the Dance of Death. This is a theme that dates back to the Renaissance. The idea is to illustrate mortality by showing a figure in the midst of life dancing with death. That’s fascinating, thank you for finding that. And here is material from [one of the Wikipedia cites](https://In%201965/66%20the%20wood%20carver,%20printer%20and%20painter%20HAP%20Grieshaber%20(1909%20-%201981)%20was%20inspired%20by%20the%20images%20of%20the%20Medieval%20Dance%20of%20Death%20in%20Basel%20to%20carve%20a%20version%20of%20his%20own%20in%20wood.%20Grieshaber%20kept%20close%20to%20his%20original%20in%20carving%20his%20woodcuts,%20but%20freed%20himself%20from%20the%20motifs%20as%20represented%20in%20the%2015th%20Century:%20%E2%80%9CI%20take%20almost%20everything%20from%20the%20present%20day%E2%80%9D.%20The%20templates%20for%20the%20German%20texts%20were%20made%20by%20Albert%20Kapr%20(1918%20-%201995).%20%20Grieshaber%20was%20a%20typesetter%20by%20trade,%20and%20studied%20calli-%20graphy%20and%20book%20art%20in%20Stuttgart.%20He%20continued%20his%20studies%20in%20London%20and%20Paris%20and%20undertook%20long%20journeys%20to%20the%20Orient.%20Grieshaber%20began%20his%20work%20under%20the%20influence%20of%20Paul%20Klee%20and%20Lyonel%20Feininger%20and%20developed%20into%20a%20woodcut%20artist%20during%20the%20Post-Expressionist%20period.%20Between1955%20and%201960%20he%20taught%20at%20the%20Kunstakademie%20in%20Karlsruhe%20as%20successor%20to%20Ernst%20Heckel.%20His%20woodcuts%20became%20more%20colourful%20during%20this%20period;%20he%20turned%20more%20and%20more%20to%20Biblical%20and%20mythological%20themes.%20Characteristic%20features%20of%20Grieshaber%E2%80%99s%20oeuvre%20are%20the%20woodcut%20technique%20with%20the%20grain%20of%20the%20wood%20and%20wood%20engraving%20across%20the%20grain.%20This%20Dance%20of%20Death%20depicting%2040%20pairs%20of%20dancers%20-%20from%20the%20Pope%20to%20the%20artist%20-%20finally%20brought%20him%20worldwide%20fame.) that is consistent with that: > In 1965/66 the wood carver, printer and painter HAP Grieshaber (1909 - 1981) was inspired by the images of the Medieval Dance of Death in Basel to carve a version of his own in wood. Grieshaber kept close to his original in carving his woodcuts, but freed himself from the motifs as represented in the 15th Century: > “I take almost everything from the present day”. The templates for the German texts were made by Albert Kapr (1918 - 1995). > > (snip) > > This Dance of Death depicting 40 pairs of dancers - from the Pope to the artist - finally brought him worldwide fame. If I’m reading this correctly, he did 40 different “dance of death” pieces - I assume this is one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/117 "2026-01-07T02:33:18Z")
…Or, I could be completely wrong, and the artist is deliberately juxtaposing modern themes like jazz with medieval symbology. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/118 "2026-01-07T02:38:42Z")
Well, we’ve gone way beyond “first impressions” but I must say I am loving this thread. Reading everyone’s differing theories and impressions is delightful and thought-provoking. You can find more info by Googling “HAP Grieshaber Dance of Death” and what I’ve just taken a quick look at makes me wonder if this particular piece is part of his [Totentanz](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=totentanz&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&as_filetype=&tbs=) series or not. The examples I can find clearly show a skeletal figure, unlike the piece the OP acquired. [Here is some commentar](https://nydamprintsblackandwhite.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-dance-of-death-continues.html)y from someone who has collected some of the works - if you go to the page you can see a few examples, which don’t look anything like the piece discussed in this thread. > My next Totentanz is from 1966, by HAP Grieshaber (Germany, 1909-1981). This portfolio includes 40 woodcuts, each of which uses at least three colors. Although Grieshaber includes some modern scenes, he also returns to a large panoply of traditional nobility and high church dignitaries. I’ve included a few of each. A lot of the pieces also seem relatively straightforward in terms of iconography: simply a skeleton standing with a person. Some, however, are more interesting. The beige pope, for example, is kissing Death’s ring, acknowledging Death as a higher authority. On the bottom row I get a kick out of Death dressed as a secretary or courier, no doubt saying, “Message for Mr Kaufman,” in his blandest voice. Death is coming up to the councilor in the center row with his arms and ribcage resembling a large clock, which is interesting. Death doesn’t care that your busy schedule is full of important places to go and things to do; when he says it’s time, it’s time. I picked the green doctor because I especially like the background of the operating room, and I picked the orange queen just because I like the colors and patterns. Grieshaber lived through both world wars, but this major series was undertaken as a reaction to a heart attack, giving him a reminder of his own mortality. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/119 "2026-01-07T02:44:28Z")
Back in the day, women with enough body fat to have a belly on them would also have been well-nourished enough to have and nurse a baby, which often wasn’t the case. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2026, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284/120 "2026-01-07T03:07:15Z")
Sometimes a dancing couple is just a dancing couple … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soliciting-your-first-impressions-on-what-you-see-in-a-figure-in-a-woodcut/1026284.md?page=7)