In fact, some historians have argued that the beaked plague doctor was nothing but a fictional and comedic character at first, and that the theatrical version inspired genuine doctors to use the costume during the outbreaks of 16. The plague doctor getup, and especially the beaked mask, has become one of the most popular costumes in the 'Carnevale,' or Carnival of Venice in Italy. The engravings of Altzenbach and Fürst may also have inspired the inclusion of the plague doctor, or 'Medico della Peste' in Italian, as a standard character in theatres since the 17th century. These elements are satirical and not a historical reality, but they have nonetheless shaped much of how the stereotypical plague doctor is pictured today. Nine women of different social rank dance with the dead (Image credit:, 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0))įürst also added some extra elements to the plague doctor outfit which appear in versions to this day, such as the claw-like gloves and the pointing stick topped by a bat-winged hourglass.
An 18th-century German oil painting of the 'Danse Macabre'.
