Morbid Curiosity: The Richard Harris Collection [Mortality by European Masters]

Towards Another Image..
By Odilon Redon [French]
19th century / pencil on paper..

The Coat of Arms with the Skull
by Albrech Durer
1503/ engraving..

Death Appearing to a Wedded Couple from an Open Grave
by Rembrandt Van Rijn

Death on Horseback Holding a Trumpet and A Flag..
By Stefano della Bella..

Death Struggle
By Richard muller
1913/ Etching on ivory laid paper..

December 31, Table of Contents
by Honore Daumier..

Death, The Enemy
By Alfred Rethel..

The Chronicle Medicale..
by Henri de Toulouse Lautrec [French]
1891/ pencil on paper..

Christ with Death
by Michael Welgemut..

Here Richard harris is explaning an interesting trivia..
about three inter-related itms on display..
- The ivory horn
- woodcut "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" by Albrecht Durer [1915]
- engraving, "knight, Death and the Devil" - by Hieronymous Wierix [17th century]

Horn with Death, Knight and the Devil..
Late 1700s / Ivory..

This piece carved from ivory and copies an image from a famous painting by Albrech Durer from 1513. This print was also the source used by Hieronymus Wierix for his version of "Death, Knight and the Devil", seen nearby. The knight is a symbol of virtues, riding intently toward the city, which was a symbol of God. he is accompanied by Death - whom he ignores - riding a pale horse.

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
by Albrecht Durer
1518/ woodcut..

Detail of the ivory horn..

Engraving "Knight, Death and Devil [After Durer]
by Hieronymus Wierix..

Works by James Ensor, with English Renaissance Lintel..
This architectural fragment contrasts life and death, placing the skull and bones in the center and the cluster of fruits and flowers at the right and left edges. Skulls are common motif on English tomb monuments, often combined with cherubs, another image linking life and death.

Death chasing a Flock of Humans
by James Ensor..

Here is Richard Harris, explaining the nuances of the display, in his "Gallery Talk with Richard Harris" on Jan 29, 2012..

Morbid Curiosity: Richard Harris Collection
Location: Sidney Yates Gallery at the Chicago Cultural Center..
January 28 – July 8, 2012
Curator: Lucas Cowan
Co-Curator: Debra Purden
Director of Exhibitions: Dr. Elizabeth Lee Kelly..
Presented by Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in partnership with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture..

RELATED LINKS..
Morbid Curiosity: Richard Harris Collection..