santadelasombra: Little girl posed with lithographic angels. An adult is underneath the blanket, sup
santadelasombra: Little girl posed with lithographic angels. An adult is underneath the blanket, supporting the child. Gelatin silver print, c.1900. Post-Mortem Photography is the practice of taking pictures of the recently deceased. As photography began to grow and spread, pictures of the dead were quickly popularized. The pictures were less a reminder of mortality and death than they were a keepsake of departed loved ones, especially children. Because of high mortality rates during the Victorian Era, post-mortem pictures of children were very common as it was most likely the only image the family would ever have of them. The subjects were typically photographed to look like they were in a deep sleep. Children were either propped on couches or in a crib while adults were sat in chairs or specially designed frames to hold their bodies up. They were also photographed with sentimental objects, either favorite toys or dolls, and flowers were almost always present in the picture. While the practice began to die out during the early 20th Century, post-mortem photography is still practiced today in some cultures, most notably in Eastern Europe. -- source link