Death, you certainly have been a naughty boy!

Death is not always depicted in such a salacious manner but on the other hand it’s not uncommon either. I selected the above images because I think they provide an interesting counterpoint to the contemporary Zombie whose appetites have essentially been neutered. I suppose we should all be thankful that zombie porn isn’t as popular today as it was back in the sixteenth century.

Libidinous inclinations aside Death, although dreaded and loathed, plays a morally ambiguous role compared to Zombies who seem to be purely evil. In these examples, Death is unloosed to mete out justice to those who’ve transgressed against the moral codes of the day. Yet the implied punishment, the act of rape transporting the figure through the portal of death, seems more troubling than the transgressions which summoned his appearance. Furthermore he seems just as guilty of getting off on carnality as his victims. This is especially apparent in Death and the Indecent Pair where one glimpse at Death’s mid-section lets you know his “hammer of justice” is ready to strike.

Via