R.I.P.: On Art and Mourning

Reflecting on the comforting role that art, poetry, and music play in dealing with loss, the Norton Simon Museum presents a small but moving group of treasures from its vault that expounds on the theme of mourning. Different cultures respond in different ways to grief, and the resolution with death is often reconciled with tradition, comforting rituals and beauty. 

Drawing from an array of objects that span centuries and customs, this small installation consists of objects such as an Egyptian coffin, an ancient Attic grave stele, a Fayum portrait, French drawings, a death mask of an Italian artist created by an American/French/Lithuanian artist, and works by a Mexican photographer.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.