'DEATH: A MOMENT OF PASSING'
Series looking at Vintage Post-Mortem Photography
WARNING: MY RENDITIONS OF DECEASED CHILDREN
Post-Mortem photography intrigued my understanding as to how the Victorians mourned. This vintage imagery is very strong and
evident to what was happening at the time. When I went deeper into the subject the question arose as to why most of the
deceased subjects were children. There were multiple reasons to the fatalities, such as pollution in the air and ground, lack of
nourishment, mistreatment, no money for food or water, but also numerous deaths were by murder.
evident to what was happening at the time. When I went deeper into the subject the question arose as to why most of the
deceased subjects were children. There were multiple reasons to the fatalities, such as pollution in the air and ground, lack of
nourishment, mistreatment, no money for food or water, but also numerous deaths were by murder.
Post-mortem photography was a normal part of life in the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth century. It is also known as a
memorial portrait or a daguerreotype of the recently deceased. It started in 1839 and peaked in popularity around the end of the
19th century. The practice was more affordable for those who were unable to afford a commissioned painted portrait, but could
afford to sit for a photography session. This cheaper alternative provided the middle class accessibility for memorialising dead loved
ones. Postmortem photography is still practised in some areas of Eastern Europe, circulating among faithful Eastern Catholics, Orthodox's
and Oriental Orthodox Christians.
Below is paintings of capturing a moment of time, in this case deceased children from the Victorian era. I have chosen these particular subjects, pick out from the Doe Network: an online resource database for missing, deceased or unknown persons often referred to as a Jane Doe for an unknown female or a John Doe for an unknown male. They all died from unnatural or unfortunate circumstances. If you click on the images on the left, it will enlarge the image and provide information of how they died, with their name, age and location. The images on the right are the same deceased subject on the left but the artwork has been hung in-front of a large window to let the light pierce through all the cracks of the paint work and my crude brush strokes. This silhouettes each deceased subject, these are then put through PicMonkey Photo Editor, increasing the contrast to 100 percent and decreasing the brightness can differ from each one, then adding a shadow application which shows in a green/black tone. This has elevated the level of marking, creating unusual formations and shadows which were not there beforehand.
Mixed Media and Found Objects: Window Panels, house paint (emulsion), oil, acrylic, metal paint, spray paint, paint thinners, with a water bottle, paint brush and wood wedges.
Approximate size: 1ft x 3ft - one being odd 1.5ft x2.5ft (landscape)
Mixed Media and Found Objects: Window Panels, house paint (emulsion), oil, acrylic, metal paint, spray paint, paint thinners, with a water bottle, paint brush and wood wedges.
Approximate size: 1ft x 3ft - one being odd 1.5ft x2.5ft (landscape)