While I am not a fan of the Victorian mode of mourning for the death of a loved one, there are a few elements that I think quite touching. When I first learned of death or memorial photos I was horrified. Years ago I bought a locket with the picture of a child that I thought were sleeping-Not! I wore it about a year before another dealer informed me that it was a memorial locket-the photo was taken in death. As I said, at first I was so disturbed. Then after doing some research and thinking about it-I came to the realization that for many families these death photos were, in many cases, the only picture of their loved one they possessed. It was a comfort- a remembrance -a treasured memento.
Materials used:
Antique doll head, vintage doll torso, found metal base, window screen, Victorian mourning buttons, antique tintype, Antique memorial, Mexican Milagros heart, & assorted found objects.
28″T x 12″w x12″d
2 responses so far ↓
1 tyn // Mar 22, 2009 at 11:42 pm
M.
What an amazing piece!!!!
2 Anne Copeland // Mar 31, 2009 at 3:38 am
I love this piece! I didn’t know there were Victorian mourning buttons. Amazing.
I am one of those folks who likes the Victorian mourning pieces. In the 1960s when I was a new mom, a friend of mine lost her baby and they took photos of her holding the dead baby. I always remembered that and thought it was very strange, but at the time it was my first exposure to this practice.
The whole Victorian focus on dying is a fascinating part of the history of that time. I have always been very connected with the theme of death and rebirth and the celebration of things like The Day of the Dead. I have been learning that it is practiced in many countries under different names, not just in Mexico as I always thought.
Anyway, fantastic piece!
Leave a Comment