Postmortem Portrait of a Child, circa 1870
Add to SetSummary
American attitudes towards death and mourning have changed throughout our history. In the mid-to-late-1800s, mourners turned to photographers to capture one last (or perhaps the only) portrait of their loved ones. Postmortem images usually depicted the deceased either asleep -- in a peaceful state, or "alive" in a somewhat natural pose usually with eyes open. These personal reminders helped mourners move through the grieving process.
American attitudes towards death and mourning have changed throughout our history. In the mid-to-late-1800s, mourners turned to photographers to capture one last (or perhaps the only) portrait of their loved ones. Postmortem images usually depicted the deceased either asleep -- in a peaceful state, or "alive" in a somewhat natural pose usually with eyes open. These personal reminders helped mourners move through the grieving process.
Artifact
Cabinet photograph
Subject Date
circa 1870
Keywords
Collection Title
On Exhibit
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Object ID
82.80.3.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Cardboard
Technique
Albumen process
Mounting
Color
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Height: 6.5 in
Width: 4.25 in
Inscriptions
verso, handwritten: John & Lydia family not a child of theirs
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