Throughout history post mortem pictures have been more common place than one would initially imagine. Dressed up in their best attire, family members would pose their late loved one in various positions in these morbid death pictures, to give the effect of life (after death) as to have a photograph which they may keep to forever remember their deceased family member.
Post mortem photography was at its height during the Victorian era (1837-1901). This was largely due to photo-camera being widely accessible to the upper class, yet still an expensive venture to be used on a daily bases. So if a family member passed away unexpectedly- especially at a young age-it was unlikely that photos would have been produced prior to their death. And so, as a keep-sake of their memory post-mortem pictures were the obvious solution….obviously.
This diagram illustrates how the stand, used for propping up the diciest, operated.
The deceased member would usually be sat in a chair (sometimes with their hands tied to a certain position), pictured laying in a bed or on occasion standing- to add extra life to the corpse. The body would be mounted on a specially designed rack (see above) and manoeuvred into the desired position. Though people were not the only subject of post mortem photographs, family pets and even horses have been known to star in their own portrait.
Victorian post mortem photo
Twin Brothers
Photograph of woman and child – 1865
Unidentified deceased girl in wheelchair with cloaked attendant.
A boy in a sailors middy, positioned on a bed with flowers strewn about him. There doesn’t appear to be any effort to make him look like he is just resting.
sisters being held up by stands
While filming an episode of ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’ in a funhouse in Long Beach, someone adjusted a dummy which hung from a noose & accidentally broke it’s arm off. While gluing it back on, they saw what looked like a real bone. Turned out to be the mummified remains of Elmer McCurdy, an escaped criminal from the Oklahoma pen who had been killed in a shoot out. His body had been sold to a museum where they charged a quarter to view it.
Man being held up by posting stand – The purpose of the posing stand was to keep the posers fixed and in position because of the time it took to take the photographs. The subject is placed in front of the camera. If necessary, the pose is held with the assistance of adjustable head rests, clamps and posing stands.
Man o’ War in his coffin. The most famous Thoroughbred died on November 1, 1947 at the age of 30 of an apparent heart attack. He was the first horse to be embalmed, and his casket was lined in his riding colors. Man o’ War’s funeral was broadcast internationally over the radio and over 2,000 people came to pay their final respects.
Double suicide. ca. 1890
Young girl, post mortem. Courtesy of Penn State Library
Parents have picture taken with their daughter whom had passed away.
Post-mortem photography
Post Mortem Photography
Victorian post-mortem photography
Not much information on this one, but it looks to be a mother and her children – all deceased.
Memento Mori. Both are deceased.
A particularly beautiful young girl laid out in the parlor, circa 1910. It was not uncommon to dress dead young girls in what looked like a wedding veil and dress to symbolize their purity as they go to ‘meet God’.
Post mortem or not post mortem, that is the question…
Three clues indicate that this photo is most likely a postmortem. First, the baby’s eyes have been altered. Secondly, the baby’s right hand is tied at the wrist and held in place to give the appearance of movement. Lastly, the baby’s left hand shows signs of discoloration and decomposition.
Dead young woman. Note her hands. The frameworks fastened at the waist and neck with heavy gauge wire to position and hold the arms. The clothes were left unfastened at the back.
Antique Italian Post Mortem Photo of Young Boy
A deceased child looking happy in a large chair
A child in a chair
Here is a picture with the pet dog whom had passes away.
A quite badly composed body (left) taken with her living sister.
Post mortem photo of the twin on the right. Stands were sometimes used to make the deceased seem alive. The R. Twins skin is discolored, the eyes are lifeless, arm hangs at his side and theres an unnatural leaning to his stance, whereas his brother has turned his head and is glancing up at him with trepidation. Live Siblings and surviving twins were often posed with their deceased siblings for post mortem photos victorian-post-mortem-photography
Child on the left is deceased
The Strange Case of Jeremy Bentham: At his request, he was taxidermied after his death. Supposedly, the process to preserve the head went terribly wrong and left his face showing lack of expression therefore, unattractive. So, his head was replaced with the wax substitute and for a time was placed on the floor between his legs. It now sits in storage, safe and sound.
Memento mori photograph of conjoined twins.
Postmortem photograph from The fetus, infants and death, in coll. with C. The Grand Sébille and M.-F. Morel, Paris, L’Harmattan, 1998
Post Mortem Photography – again it looks like an assistant is holding this body from behind.
The girl who is standing in the photo is the one who is dead. This is a classic example of photographic art. Notice the hands. For people wondering how the corpse is standing up, there is a posing stand supporting the body it’s very hard to see but the stand is supporting the neck, arms and back
Post-mortem Belgian girl lay in peace
