After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal cover image

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

Victorian Death Photography: Postmortem Posers

Nov 23, 2023
Author Brandy Schillace joins Maddy and Anthony to discuss the unsettling Victorian art of death photography, exploring the reasons behind posing deceased loved ones in family portraits. They examine the visibility of death in Victorian society, the challenges in distinguishing between the living and deceased in postmortem photography, and the intention behind hiding the fact that subjects had already passed away.
27:03

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Victorians used death photography to capture a true representation of the deceased as they appeared in life.
  • Photographs of deceased individuals were prominently displayed in homes as a tribute, providing a sense of continuity and honoring the memory of the departed.

Deep dives

Victorian obsession with death and death photography

The podcast explores the Victorian obsession with death and the practice of death photography. The Victorians' fascination with death stemmed from Queen Victoria's personal loss of Prince Albert, and their devotion to the dead was evident in their cemeteries and commemoration of the deceased. Death photography, a 19th century phenomenon, became popular as the use of cameras became more widespread. Contrary to morbid expectations, the resulting photographs aimed to capture a true representation of the deceased as they appeared in life. The affordability of photography allowed grieving families to have a lasting visual tribute of their loved ones.

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