Post Mortem Photography

[Angel Androgynous]

Post Mortem Photography:
A practice of photographing the recently deceased.
Mostly practiced in the Victorian Era.
At first, in post mortem photography, they would try to make the corpse appear more lifelike. Either by propping up the eyes, or making them sit up, or be in other lifelike positions. However, the style eventually evolved into a more lazy one, where the corpse would be in the coffin or just lying down with some family members. Children would usually be photographed with the mother or in a crib, and sometimes with their favorite toy.

Let's play the "guess which one's dead" game.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v107/Kaye-Oh/AKaye/boo/1274351905268.jpg

http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcibt077W81qz9b3ko1_500.jpg

http://ken_ashford.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834515b2069e20120a526c182970b-500wi

http://www.webhistoryofengland.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/pm-7.jpg

I'm just linking pictures at this point:

http://www.cvltnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/tumblr_lkn4rmbgRl1qjxbs6o1_500.jpg

http://www.cvltnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/post-mortem-photography-family-1.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2768/4447133878_0974e7f3d1_o.jpg

Now, what makes this photo so powerful (and kind of beautiful to me, the composition, the little girl herself) is that she isn't dead yet. It is said that this was taken on her deathbed.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3458/3909599382_11b6393f85.jpg

Death is quite fascinating, in some cases beautiful, and most definitely saddening. If you like, share some interesting post mortem pictures.

[Magenta]

I honestly find this really interesting. I've always been fascinated with death and dying... so I find this creepy but not morbid. I have books upon books of rituals people do surrounding death and have never heard of this.

Not sure what would possess anyone to do this but... I dunno. I mean, trying to make them seem life-like seems almost wrong... like human taxidermy but hey, we're not here to discuss ethics. These are actually rather beautiful in a really scary way.

[Angel Androgynous]

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lunxnxLskG1r08rsmo1_400.png
Here is one of sisters.

[dead]

I honestly find this really interesting. I've always been fascinated with death and dying... so I find this creepy but not morbid. I have books upon books of rituals people do surrounding death and have never heard of this.

Not sure what would possess anyone to do this but... I dunno. I mean, trying to make them seem life-like seems almost wrong... like human taxidermy but hey, we're not here to discuss ethics. These are actually rather beautiful in a really scary way.

That's weird, I don't find them at all scary. Do you know what we in modern times do to someones dead body when prepping them for the coffin?

[deadpie]

They're probably all dead by now. Guess I won this game. You just lost it though.

[embers]

TWPR :arrow: Photography

I find this kind of art to be quite disturbing. But kinda interesting at the same time. For the most part it just creeps me out.

[Magenta]

That's weird, I don't find them at all scary. Do you know what we in modern times do to someones dead body when prepping them for the coffin?

Oh, I don't mean in a scary as in like omg, that's fucking terrifying way. I mean more in a... I don't know, out of the ordinary way. It's just strange how they look so alive but their eyes really do look blank and dead. I find it unsettling but not in a bad way.

But yes, I know what goes into preserving a dead body nowadays. I honestly debated becoming a mortician for awhile in middle school (yes, I was a strange child).

[dead]

They're probably all dead by now. Guess I won this game. You just lost it though.

If only they weren't dead in the photos. Though most of the photo's you get now a days are just to prove someones dead.

[Angel Androgynous]

They're probably all dead by now. Guess I won this game. You just lost it though.

Of course they're all dead by now! I meant guess which one's dead in the picture, at that moment.

[dead]

Oh, I don't mean in a scary as in like omg, that's fucking terrifying way. I mean more in a... I don't know, out of the ordinary way. It's just strange how they look so alive but their eyes really do look blank and dead. I find it unsettling but not in a bad way.

But yes, I know what goes into preserving a dead body nowadays. I honestly debated becoming a mortician for awhile in middle school (yes, I was a strange child).

I knew you meant that, and I meant that as well. It just, I thought possibly you never knew, but when I think of morticians I think of a certain horror movie.

[Angel Androgynous]

http://www.theskullillusion.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/post-mortem-skull-illusion-jan12.jpg

http://www.antiquephotoalbum.nl/bloqjes/files/stands/stand07.jpg

http://iphotographypictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Post-mortem-photography-brotherhood-1.jpg

http://www.theskullillusion.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/girlbeddoll.jpg

[Genghis Khan]

Guess who's dead

http://images.wikia.com/batman/images/f/f9/Heath_Ledger_as_the_Joker.JPG

lolololololol

[embers]

http://marriageandfamilys.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/happy-family-on-the-floor.jpg

cliff richard looks pretty dead too (http://cliffricharddyinginside.tumblr.com/)

[kenoloor]

I find these photos to be extremely beautiful in a grotesque and dark kind of unnerving way...haunting. I'm imagining what it would be like...posing with your dead brother/daughter/whatever for a picture. I can only imagine what that kind of an experience would be like.

It really fascinates me though. Thank you for posting this.

[Angel Androgynous]

I find these photos to be extremely beautiful in a grotesque and dark kind of unnerving way...haunting. I'm imagining what it would be like...posing with your dead brother/daughter/whatever for a picture. I can only imagine what that kind of an experience would be like.

It really fascinates me though. Thank you for posting this. l

I agree, these photos are gorgeous. There's also a certain sadness to them. You can see the heartbreak in their eyes. (The people posing with family members) But it seems like normal heartbreak. As if it is something they would go through eventually... death of someone's child wasn't new, but probably just as heart-wrecking.

[Genghis Khan]

lol what a stupid thread

[canadaski]

This is really disturbing but interesting at the same time, kind of like the kramer. You can tell which one is dead by the bloating around the jawline and the eyes.

[Angel Androgynous]

lol what a stupid thread
Hahahha stfu

This is really disturbing but interesting at the same time, kind of like the kramer. You can tell which one is dead by the bloating around the jawline and the eyes.

In the first one, I was actually thinking that the one standing up is dead because of the discolored hands.

[Triceratops]

I don't find these photographs disturbing at all, in fact I think they look really elegant. I also love antique style photos. To be honest, the amazing thing about post mortem photography is the juxtaposition between having an image of someone being dead yet appearing to be beautiful and almost having a sense of serenity to it. It's proof that there is beauty in melancholy.

[northskater110]

These photos are so creepy, but also very interesting. I never knew people did this, kinda cool to be honest.

[PoseidonX43]

interesting, but werid.

[unknownuser]

Very interesting... they're sad, yet beautiful- especially the last one in your 1st post.
Thanks for sharing.

[AllThatYouDreamed]

Sad, creepy, beautiful, morbid, haunting, disturbed, loving, macabre.

I need a better adjective to describe this.

But for now I'm going to go with beautiful.

And the last one on the first post, the one with the little girl on her death bed.
It's so beautiful because of her eyes. They scream her short story. Asking for life, almost like she's trying to bargain with Gods

[centropede]

Scarry....