Victorian Book of the Dead

[HoneyMaker]

I'm sorry, but I feel physically sick after seeing these photos.

Although I read the disclaimer, I was still intrigued - so my own fault I feel this way.

I'm really sorry this happened Hysteri-CAL. This was something that I really wanted to avoid so I feel terrible that after reading the disclaimer you still felt intruiged enough to click. Is there anything else I could put into the disclaimer to make others, who might feel like you, not want to view the links?

[persephone]

I'm sorry, but I feel physically sick after seeing these photos.

Although I read the disclaimer, I was still intrigued - so my own fault I feel this way.


I find nothing peaceful about them whatsoever.

Sorry - not my cup of tea - and I wish I hadn't have clicked.

I agree with Cal on this- even though i read the disclaimer I was still curious. The children upset me. Wish I hadn't clicked. Only looked at the first post btw so don't know if there's any more and only looked at a couple of the photos

[ally16]

Personally I dont think I could ever take photos like this. It's not that they offend me in any way. It's more that, like others have said I prefer to think of loved ones how they were when they were alive. I was with my dad when he died and remember thinking just after that it wasnt him anymore, it didnt even look like him so cant imagine having a photo of that. I can totally understand it where babies are concerned though.

Perhaps the Victorians were just more open about death than we are today. The photos in the link posted certainly werent gruesome or strange looking. Fascinating subject.

[Helen M]

i dont think death is seen as taboo, i just think that death is surrounded by sadness so why would anyone want to be reminded of the event, but somehow it seems different with babies, when my mum in law died i was, and still get extremely upset by the thought of it and really cannot understand the fascination with these photos

[whoopidoo]

Like a few have mentioned with their own relatives - my mum passed away this year with Cancer. I also believe like someone said that the body is just a vessel and even more so now. I was there when Mum took her last breath and almost immediately she didn't look like my Mum anymore.

I chose not to go to the viewing as I believed it wasn't Mum, she was gone. A couple of my older sisters did go and said they wished they hadn't but had swore to Mum they would go and 'prod' her just to 'make sure' as Mum had a fear of being buried alive.

I can fully understand why people do this with the photos in one way but after seeing what happened with Mum I can't - surely the effect would be the same and they wouldn't look like they were? If that makes sense?

I also stopped taking photos of Mum towards the end and was actually shown one of her in her final weeks and it shocked me totally - even though I had been in every day as we all had caring for her it hadn't registered just how bloated she had got with the disease and it was heart breaking - I can't get the image away now. So I definitely couldn't have kept a photo of what I deemed her 'shell'.

However I too had become intrigued with this style of photo after seeing 'The Others' but hadn't followed it up but now that I have had my own personal experience of death I don't fully 'get it'. Sorry for the ramble. Hope I made a little bit of sense.

BTW we have been going through all Mums albums recently and am starting to get back the memory of her pre-illness and also a glimpse of the woman I never knew pre-kids. It's been lovely - she was ill for so long, it's been nice to remember.

[pip]

I came upon one of these pictures in a book on photography and found it chilling. If people want to scrap them it's their business but I do hope that they wouldn't be displayed across the top of the page where they could be seen unexpectedly. I think they are only to be viewed if you choose to.

Pip

[HoneyMaker]

I came upon one of these pictures in a book on photography and found it chilling. If people want to scrap them it's their business but I do hope that they wouldn't be displayed across the top of the page where they could be seen unexpectedly. I think they are only to be viewed if you choose to.

Pip

Gosh Pip, Even I, who think these photos have a certain calming beauty to them, would not ever want them to be on common display. They are incredibly personal (and I often wonder if the people families who took the photographs would feel about them being on the internet 200 years later)

[Hysteri-CAL]

......and I often wonder if the people families who took the photographs would feel about them being on the internet 200 years later

........... it does make you wonder ... surely they must have thought someone would find them eventually ??

[HoneyMaker]

Apparently some of these held pride of place on the mantlepiece and it was 'normal' for a wife to have her husbands picture on her bedside cabinet. Victorians obviously saw this as an 'event' something that they could publicise

[ScrappyDandyDoo]

I must admit I was quite shocked when my dad came back from his brothers funeral with pics of the mourners round the grave etc. My dad is Polish so I assume its traditional - but he doesn't talk about anything like that.

Seeing some of the pictures I can understand the calming influence but I do feel some of the ones were the siblings are taken with the child quite disturbing, especially the one of the twins. I can't imagine what they must have been feeling

Julie xx

[Hysteri-CAL]

I know in the Altered Art section here on UKS they have whats called 'Cabinet cards' ... i've even altered one myself .... but I must say ... the Victorian's were bloody nutters !!!

[scrapcat]

I found the pictures of women my age most disturbing - I suppose it brought my own mortality to mind....

The pictures of children were just sad but it was so much more common to lose a child in those days and religious belief was stronger I suppose that it may not have been so painful - I don't know...

Being an atheist I find death somewhat disturbing anyhow!

[pip]

I often wonder if the people families who took the photographs would feel about them being on the internet 200 years later)

I don't think there is anything particularly strange about Victorians wanting a record especially as so many died young - its my feelings at seeing them I can't handle IYKWIM. I think they are a interesting example of social history and how our views have changed. I collect cabinet cards to alter and these photos are just the logical extension - I often wonder what the familes would think of what I do to their pictures.

Pip

[julieM]

Have seen some of these type of pictures before but only of elderly people. Never seen ones of children or young people. Found most of them very calming like you said. Think we do shy away from death these days and people seem to find it much harder to deal with than they did in the past.Can fully understand taking pitures of stillborn babies (my friend did) and very young children nowadays. Think it would depend for anyone else. Would definately not want a picture taking of my mil as she is in the last stages of terminal cancer and really does not look like herself. Much better to remember her as she used to be.
julie x

[julieM]

Could someone please explain cabinet cards??
julie x