Victorian death practices

Seems very macabre to me. The Victorians often took picture of the dead, made to look still alive. I found them fascinating, but eerie at the same time.

http://www.viralnova.com/post-mortem...hMphR3s.mailto

Re: Victorian death practices

I have memories of my own parents so I find it not to my taste to view these

Re: Victorian death practices

Understandable Mags. They're not for everyone. As I said, they fascinate, but also give me the heebiegeebies

Re: Victorian death practices

When you think they may have never had a picture taken when alive I think I can see why they would do this. Photographs were expensive and rare so they would only have this one chance to have one taken. Less disturbing to me than the endless selfies people seem obsessed with these days.

Re: Victorian death practices

Yes selfies, and photo bombing - throwing yourself into others pics at the last minute! I even hate getting a pic of me taken at all.

Re: Victorian death practices

No thank you , not for me. I don't mind seeing a dead person but don't want a memento mori <<<shudders>>>

Re: Victorian death practices

Yes, why would you want to be dead and have someone's hand up yer jacksey, propping you up .

Re: Victorian death practices

As a granny whose only photo of one of my grand daughters is of her after she died in my daughter's arms, just a few hours old, I can sort of understand it.
You have to remember that photos were a new kind of keepsake, before them there was only locks of hair to keep as a connection to a departed loved one.

Re: Victorian death practices

Yes all we have of one of our babies is a photo post mortum, were luckier with another he lived a couple of hours. So I can understand it too. Perhaps you have to experience it to understand ?

Re: Victorian death practices

I think they are fascinating when you think of how much effort went into getting these photos and making the people look alive. The one of the young girl standing between her parents is amazing, with the pupils drawn on.

In Victorian times death was more common in much younger people and children, nowadays most of us live a fairly long life. Photography was quite new and people saw it as the very best way of keeping the memory of their loved one with them, and as they may not have a photo of the person before they died they employed a photographer to enable them to have a last chance of having the family together in a portrait.