Pesta Plate 6 from Svartedauen

What it is

This plate is from Svartedauen (The Black Death), a 1901 illustrated book by Norwegian artist Theodor Kittelsen. It shows a cloaked, hooded black figure with pale eyes standing among wooden houses in a Norwegian village by a fjord, with snow-capped mountains behind.

Why it matters

Kittelsen placed this personified figure of the plague directly into the setting of ordinary Norwegian village life, showing how deeply the memory of the Black Death was tied to local landscapes and communities. It reflects how folklore kept the pandemic's terror alive long after the events themselves.

Look closer

• What effect does placing the dark figure among the houses create?
• Why might the artist use pale eyes to make the figure more unsettling?
• How does the peaceful landscape make the figure's presence feel more disturbing?