Week 44 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Prompt - Frightening

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 44

Prompt – Frightening

The other day I was poking around online and came across this photograph. These are not relatives of mine.

Probably what caught my interest was the title; “Not Quite Dead Yet” As I continued to read, it said look closely as one person here is not living. That got my attention. The story goes like this:

"Regina Ruppel wanted a family photo and after 3 years she found the money, consent and time when her children would be home. But days before the event, she fell off the hay wagon broke her neck and died.  The family fulfilled her wishes and went ahead with the photograph. There is a board along her back and two people squatting behind her to hold her up. The hands on the shoulders help provide further stability."

I started to investigate the idea of photographing the dead and discovered that there is a real thing called “Post-Mortem Photography”. It was practiced in the mid 1800's to early 1900's. It is also known as “memento mori” which is Latin for “ remember that you will die”.

In 1839, a camera of sorts was invented that produced an image likeness using a Daguerreotype process and was now publicly available to the public. The cost was somewhat prohibitive so many were unable to have an image made. 

As I understand the process; a silver plated copper plate was polished to a mirror finish and treated with fumes of some sort to make it light sensitive. In a box that blocks all light it was exposed to iodine fumes making a silver iodide finish on the plate. At this point the plate was carried to the camera and placed within the dark camera and the plate was pulled from the protective box and was now ready for exposure. The lens cap was removed and depending on how bright it was it remained off from several seconds to several minutes. When done, the cap was replaced on the camera and the plate put back in its light safe box. The development of the image was made by exposing it to fuming heated mercury. Yikes to personal safety. The plate was fixed by another chemical. The finished plate was covered by glass and sealed so not to allow tarnishing and prevent marring. Thus the ability to capture an image was born. As an aside this long exposure may provide a clue to you if you have such a picture. The dead individuals would be a sharper image compared to the living standing around them, because the dead don't move!

During this period in time the mortality rate was high. I think I read that adults life expectancy was into their 40's and 20% of the children never lived beyond the age of 5. Therefore death was probably viewed as “normal” to family life. Thus began the practice of taking pictures of their dead loved ones, especially their children. It was thought to be therapeutic for their grief and a way of memorializing their dead.

The photographers were asked to either pose them like they were alive or make them look peacefully asleep. They were almost always dressed in Sunday clothes, jewellery; toys and books were used as props, I supposed to show off their wealth. Those photographed sleeping were often surrounded by flowers. The photographers had special props for the dead such as stands to prop the dead up or they used chairs, tables or surrounded by people to hold them up. Babes were placed in mother's lap to look like it was sleeping. These photographs were proudly displayed in their homes on the table or mantles.

In some kind of weird game of “I see dead people” , I checked my photographs and don't believe I have any post-mortem photographs in my possession.

Is this creepy? Yes I think so.

Is this macabre? Yes as some might find the photographing of dead people disturbing.

Is this frightening? Probably for most of us who aren't CSI agents taking crime scene photos. 

However I am judging against my norms and not those of the Victorian Age.

Wendy