This wonderful example of a post mortem cabinet card shows an older lady lying in her bed, looking very much at peace. I believe it originates from Europe, probably France, and the surroundings and furniture would also suggest this.
Today we may look at post-mortem photography as morbid and distasteful, but when these types of photographs were taken in the 19th and early 20th century, they were very likely to have been the only photographs ever taken of the deceased.
It wasn’t so much of a ‘fascination with death’ for the Victorians and Edwardians, but more of a help with the grieving process. The photographs were treasured keepsakes to remember a loved one.
I thought that this remarkable study, needed to be treated with a sense of reverence and respect, so I chose a frame which I thought best suited the picture and completed it with a mount to better focus on the subject. The cabinet card is antique, the frame is vintage, and the mount is new.
The cabinet card itself has no writing. It measures approx. 16.5 x 11cm and is in very good condition for its age with some tape attached to the back of the photograph at the top.
The beautiful vintage frame is by Valerie Bertinelli and measures approx. 26.5 x 21.5cm and is in excellent condition.
A poignant reminder of our own mortality and a wonderful addition to a memento mori collection.
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Product Code:0852
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Weight:0.62kg
