Archive for July, 2010

This week we will be delving into a topic that may seem morbid, but has had a significant role and effect in our perception of death in modern life. Post-mortem photography was popularized in the mid to late 19th century as a continuation of the ancient art of remembrance of the dead. While one could see these photos as macabre, they certainly have a role as mementos of the past, and a way of preserving the image of the deceased in way that their loved-ones choose. Although understandably tragic, the photographs’ role allows families a beautiful memory of their deceased loved ones.

Many of the subjects of the photos were young children, which reflects a definite change in regards to the decrease in the infant mortality rate in developed nations. Being the great equalizer that death is, people of all ages were memorialized this way. The bodies were preserved following certain procedures that are still practiced today with regards towards physical preservation (embalming with arsenic salts, alcohol, and formaldehyde) and dressed in their finest clothes.

Keep in mind that photography in the 19th century was an elaborate process; both time consuming and certainly expensive. For many people this was the only photo that would be taken of them. Typically the deceased are depicted as sleeping following through on the notion of death as permanent state of sleep, but also because generally people died asleep in their beds.

With the increasing ubiquity of camera technology this practice has fallen wayside, but there are still concepts and ideas which arose from these rituals such as the (now defunct) website Deathspace which in a certain way acts as a way of using technology to remembering the deceased.

Information courtesy of: Dan Meinwald, Art Of Mourning

Images courtesy of: Mr.Fox: Post Mortem and Wikipedia

As always, if YOU have an idea for a future Historical Thursday, please email it to me at thereifixedit@gmail.com.