Installation of first object in new Modern London galleries
Striking neo-classical figures were the first object to be installed in the new modern London galleries opening in spring 2010.
The figures stood above the door of the Pelican Life Insurance Office, famous policy holders included the poets Byron and Shelley and Prime Minister William Pitt. Impoverished women and children look up to a heroic Roman centurion, pleading for help with their situation. This iconic imagery tells the story of the lives of Londoners in the 18th century as they look to the insurance man for security, a tale that will all too clearly resonate with credit crunched Londoners today.
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Look at artist's impressions of the new galleries
