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Feb 19, 2019 · Today, Victorian mourning practices seem excessively morbid, even macabre. A greater understanding of the meanings behind practices such as post-mortem photography, however, allows a modern viewer to see an image for what it was: a comforting reminder that a loved one was merely “at rest” and waiting for a heavenly reunion.
Dec 18, 2018 · In contrast to the proliferation of post-mortem imagery during the Victorian Era, photos of corpses today are considered taboo by many. When photos of the dead are taken and shown, the viewer is frequently forewarned of their presence.
- The Art of Post-Mortem Photography
- The History of Victorian Post-Mortem Photos
- Frequently Asked Questions
Death was ubiquitous throughout the Victorian era due to high mortality rates and the uncontrolled spread of illness. Many individuals devised inventive methods to commemorate the deceased, like Victorian post-mortem photos. While it may seem morbid now, numerous families have used post-mortem photography to remember their loved ones. Real Victoria...
Portraiture became more prevalent after the development of the daguerreotype in 1839 since many people who could not afford to order a portrait painting could afford the cost to sit for a photographic session. This also gave the middle class a means to remember deceased loved ones. Previously, post-mortem portraiture was limited to the upper classe...
What Are Victorian Post-Mortem Photos?
Post-mortem photography was performed in order to get a printed photograph of your deceased family member to prominently display in your house. In the terrible case that a loved one died, taking a snapshot of their corpse or face would be regarded odd, if not frowned upon. Post-mortem photography, on the other hand, was formerly a popular habit out of respect and affection. However, throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, this unusual tradition was widely accepted as a sign of both sorr...
What Is the Difference Between Fake and Real Victorian Death Photos?
Due to the popularity and prominence of Victorian post-mortem photos, it became a lucrative business to make and sell fake photos to the public. Cast iron posing stands were employed to assist living models to stay motionless during the lengthier exposures of the time. This helped create the illusion of stillness as it was easy to capture blurry photos on old camera equipment. They weren’t designed or built to carry the weight of a dead corpse, but they were utilized to support the limbs of p...
- Jordan Anthony
- ( Content Editor, Art Writer, Photographer )
Oct 27, 2017 · Post-mortem photography was a popular mourning practice in mid-19th century Britain and America, reaching its peak around the 1870s. While it may seem macabre to us today, portraits taken after death were an important way for families to remember lost loved ones.
Oct 11, 2021 · Too-stiff posture, unnatural-looking eyes, or eerie shadows can easily start a photo’s postmortem career, and much of this supposed evidence is, again, just evidence of an older photography...
- Sonya Vatomsky
Sep 6, 2022 · Once a widely accepted practice, post mortem photography, like all aspects of American death, was denied and pushed to the shadows. Families became ashamed of their pictures of the deceased, removing them from albums as the images’ context became connected to morbidity.
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Nov 10, 2021 · In the nineteenth century, photographers were often called upon to do postmortem photography, capturing the stillness of the final moment. As Victorian-literature scholar Nancy M. West writes , “people were more willing to pay a few dollars for a daguerreotype that memorialized a loved one’s death than they were to commemorate a marriage or ...
