Death, part deux
A recent issue of Rue Morgue had a fascinating article on memorial photography in America and Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Though it’s creepy as all get out now, the article explained how it was a fairly common practice back then and why. From what I remember, it’s twofold.
Firstly, death was more common then. Now, death often occurs in a hospital and the funeral almost always happens out of the home, whereas death was frequent then and the ceremonies surrounding it took place at home. So, while still devastating, it wasn’t as alien or creepy. One supposes.
Secondly, while death was more common, photography was less so. People often didn’t have any pictures of their children, and when they died, they wanted to have some image to hold on to. Hence why some pictures have open eyes painted over the closed eyes of a dead child.
There are two collections of this kind of photography, Sleeping Beauty: Memorial Photography in America and Sleeping Beauty 2, which you can buy for me on eBay if you’re so inclined. They’re out of print and cost about $600 a pop. So, um, thanks in advance.
Lest you think this doesn’t happen anymore, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep offers a service to parents who’s children die before they leave the hospital. They are, for the most part, pretty sensitive shots. I can only imagine the skill required to do that kind of work.
Only the baby’s dead in this one.
*Pictures from this page.