This excellent piece by the amazing Penny Nickels is based on a print from 17th century German engraver Matthaus Merian. I think it's even better than a print because it's embroidered! I also love her original choice of subject which made me want to read more about it. It appears that St. Vitus Dance was a rather odd medieval phenomenon where large groups of people would dance in a bizarre fashion. In Basel in 1536 for example. Some people died during those dance outbreaks. From this image we learn that that didn't stop them from joining in anyway.
