Introducing the cast members of this exhibition is a quick roll call: the Grim Reaper himself. This exhibition isn't literally about representations of Death personified, it also features dead people, things made of bones, things made to look like dead people (or parts of), bookplates (ex libris) and a variety of other thematic parts.
As is the Wellcome's wont, it mixes art/science and historical/contemporary. This collection uses Richard Harris' collection as the mainstay here- he was an antique print dealer, so there are a particularly large selection of those included. It's thematic, barely, but the main theme sledgehammers the smaller room themes out of the way.
And what an inclusion the prints are- there are three large series of prints (one by the criminally underexhibited Otto Dix, along with Goya and Callot), and a good number of Durer copies- although the originals of some of these are on at the Northern Renaissance exhibition at the Queen's Gallery.
Aside from these, there is a great set of other objects to look at. The contemporary sculptures are very interesting; there are also some fine Dutch paintings including a Vanitas, some netsuke, medical pictures, Day of the Dead items, and random death-themed photographs.
Morbid is not the mood that this exhibition engenders either, it is surprisingly light despite its often grisly premise.
