The Last Sleep: Photos of the Dead

For centuries, trinkets have been taken from the dead to preserve memories. A lock of hair worn in a locket, swatches of fabric from a loved item of clothing, a death mask, even a portrait.

A photo of siblings; the youngest girl has died and is being propped up.

Painted portraits don’t come cheap, and it was no different in Victorian times. Many people were living in poverty, and disease was rife; with a lack of healthcare, this unfortunately meant that many people died. Sadly, this included many young children.

Twins; the one surrounded by flowers is deceased.

The families couldn’t afford a portrait to remember their deceased, but in the mid-1800s, a slightly more affordable alternative came along – photography. It was still a struggle to finance photos for the lower classes, so they were only taken for something special, extraordinary, or tragic. Something tragic, like death.

The deceased were often positioned as though they were alive; wives sat next to their husbands, children played with toys, and babies were in their mothers’ arms. Occasionally, eyes would be painted on, and cheeks would be rouged so the person would appear alive in the photo. More common was ‘The Last Sleep,’ where the body would be posed as though they were merely asleep.

Painted on eyes.

The old cameras would take a long time to actually take a photo. Many were slightly blurred where people had, naturally, moved slightly. The deceased don’t have to worry about the body’s unconscious movements, so they often appear crystal clear in the image.

Parents with their deceased daughter. Her cheeks have been painted, and she is clear in the pictures, unlike the living.

The writer, Victor Hugo

The wood behind the rocking chair is to keep it, and the person, in one place, suggesting this is posthumous.

A young girl surrounded by her toys.

11-year-old Frances Radke

The painter, Edvard Munch

Composer and pianist, Edvard Grieg

Children pose with their deceased mother.

These photos can be seen as morbid, a melancholy memory of those who have gone before them. But I also think there’s something rather beautiful about them, seeing the person at rest and peaceful in their eternal slumber.

As always, please let me know what you think in the comments, take care of yourself, and I will see you soon!

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