1165
Aubert, Francois. Corpse of Emperor Maximillian.
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles © The J. Paul Getty
Museum.
embalming became prevalent photographs had to be
taken quickly while the body was on ice. The deceased
were often buried on the same day they died. Thus the
deceased was often rushed to the photographer’s studio
or the photographer often came to the home on short
notice.
The intimacy of early postmortem images is striking.
They often show in death that which would not have
been shown in life. Images that we would consider very
private—a wife mourning a husband at his death bed;
women and girls in white burial gowns, meant to repre-
sent confi rmation or wedding dresses, yet bearing a close
resemblance to nightgowns; the overt portrayal of grief
rather than stoic acceptance; even the canonized poses
of grief which seem so staged and histrionic to contem-
porary viewers—were readily viewed and widely. The
admittance of the photographer to a very private space
shows the status of the photographer, along with the
doctor and clergyman, as an important character in the
fi nal act of death. It bears repeating that throughout the
19th century grief was an acceptable public emotion,
widowhood was seen as a lifelong female role, and the
discussion of death and the deceased was considered a
polite topic of conversation.
Unlike conventional portrait photography, in post-
mortem photography long exposure times were possible
without discomfi ting the sitter. The problems often
encountered with blurring were not an issue, resulting
in images that were crisper and of an often higher qual-
ity, than those of live subjects. The need to remain still
during long exposures often created a lack of facial ex-
pression in images of the living, grieving relatives. Their
grief was most often expressed through the conventional
symbolism of their poses. This creates the dichotomy
wherein portraits of the deceased seem to have a more
expressive, relaxed demeanor than those of the living.
Articles in photographic trade journals described tech-
niques for photographing the dead including lighting
and positioning the body, practical advise such as having
relatives leave the room “should they witness some little
mishap likely to befall the occasion” and how to open
the eyes of the deceased with a spoon.
The earliest postmortem photographs were the sim-
plest. In the daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and other plate
images of the 1840s and 50s the deceased was portrayed
close-up and alone, with few, if any, accoutrements.
Little attempt was made to soften the effects of death.
With the exception of the “sleeping” child, the fact of
death was quite obvious. Many images were taken ex-
actly where the deceased had expired, without arranging
the body. Often parents are shown holding a child in their
laps, as if it is still alive, or holding it up for. Frequently
the subject, usually a child, is placed across a studio chair
or couch in a pose representing “the last sleep.” Some
images of this type depict the child in its bed, often in
a christening outfi t. “The last sleep” was the dominant
theme of postmortem photography from 1840–1880.
The close-up, “sleeping” image conveyed the ancient
symbolism of death as sleep or a rest from one’s labors.
This convention can also be seen as the denial of death.
It is often diffi cult to tell, especially in images of the very
young, if the subject is living or deceased.
Sometimes the subject is seated upright on a chair
or couch with its hands crossed in its lap and the eyes
closed. The seated pose seems also to be an attempt
to portray the subject as alive, although death is more
evident than in the ‘last sleep” convention. This pose
was especially favored when no living portrait had
been taken or when the family was considering having
a posthumous portrait.
The inclusion of favorite items of the deceased in
the image is concept taken from the posthumous por-
traiture tradition. Children were often depicted holding
a small doll or favorite toy. Scattered toys (often studio
props), abandoned in the moment of play symbolized
the deceased’s departure. Another subject favored for
infants was the “from carriage to coffi n” convention
depicting the infant laid in a baby carriage with its small
coffi n present in the background shadows.