Coloured woodcuts and stained glass are typical of the work of Basel artist Hanns Studer. The principal subjects in these works are local scenes and customs, such as the circus, the Basel carnival, and the Dance of Death. His panels with representations of Pierrot are particularly cheerful, and their contrasting colours glow like fire when the sun shines through them.

Studer lived and worked on the island of Rügen, off the north coast of Germany.