home » Size tables » Why photographs of dead people in the 19th century? Why you shouldn't take pictures of the dead

Why photographs of dead people in the 19th century? Why you shouldn't take pictures of the dead

What to do with the belongings and photographs of a deceased relative? Is it possible to wear or use the belongings of a deceased relative? Is it possible to give a child the name of a deceased relative?

In the lives of each of us, sooner or later, losses occur - someday our grandparents pass away, then our parents and other close people. After all the unpleasant ceremonies, we are left alone with many questions: “What now to do with everything acquired by our relatives?”, “Can I keep their things in my house?”, “Can I wear their clothes, jewelry, shoes? ?.

This article will be dedicated to everyone folk signs, all beliefs, as well as church instructions regarding the belongings of deceased loved ones.

Is it possible to sleep on the bed or sofa of a deceased relative?

There is an expression: “It is better to sleep on the grave of a dead person than on his bed!” Perhaps there is some truth in this. If a man long time was sick, experienced crazy torment on the bed, and in the end died on it, then of course it’s better to part with such an inheritance
People related to extrasensory perception argue that it is better to replace the bed of a deceased person. If it is not possible to buy a new bed, but you need to sleep on something, then it is better to perform a ritual of cleansing the deathbed of a loved one. To do this, you can go around the bed on all sides with a lit church candle, passing over and under it, sprinkle it with holy water and sprinkle with salt
If the deceased person had some otherworldly abilities, then to get rid of the trace of his strong energy, it is better to invite a clergyman to the house. The church, as a rule, meets its parishioners halfway and helps them overcome their fears of the unknown
If you turn with similar thoughts to someone more down-to-earth, such as scientists or doctors who are skeptical about this kind of activity, they are unlikely to find anything reprehensible in keeping the sofa or bed of a deceased person for themselves. Their only advice may be to disinfect furniture or reupholster it. This is especially true for those options when a person died from infectious disease or virus

The Church, in turn, may take a reprehensible attitude towards the desire of relatives to keep the deathbed of their loved one. It is not Christian to sleep on a bed where another person has come face to face with death.
The psychological side of this issue is also very important. A person who has lost a loved one may not immediately be able to get rid of grief and melancholy. An object associated with this person can often remind you of him and excite sad thoughts in your head
However, there is a class of people who, on the contrary, are given memorabilia only positive emotions and memories. Falling asleep on the bed of their relative, they can meet them more often in their dreams and enjoy such spiritual communication
In other words, the choice is yours. If you are able to subjugate your feelings of fear and give up superstitions, then put the bed of your loved one in order and sleep on it to your health!

This is perhaps the most controversial issue. We have long been accustomed to the fact that in the houses of our grandmothers, great-grandmothers and parents, numerous portraits and general photographs of their ancestors and loved ones hung on the walls. In the old days, this was not considered something dangerous or reprehensible. But today there are a lot of ideas about what photographs of the dead mean negative energy and can affect the health and fate of living people
First of all, let's talk about a portrait of a person who has just died for a funeral procession. It should be a photo that both you and he liked. The portrait can be framed in a mourning photo frame or have a black ribbon placed on it in the lower right corner. After burial, the portrait of the deceased must remain in his house for 40 days. What to do with the portrait later is up to his loved ones to decide.
If after this time the wound of loss is still too fresh, then it is better to remove the photograph until calmer times. If relatives have already managed to survive their loss and have coped with their nerves, then the portrait can be placed in the living room or another room other than the bedroom

Photos of deceased relatives in the house - the opinion of the church

Church's opinion on photographs of deceased relatives in the house

The Orthodox Church does not see anything wrong with photographs of deceased relatives being in the home of their relatives. We are all equal before God - both the dead and the living
Therefore, photographs of loved ones, especially loved ones and loving ones, can only bring a bunch of pleasant memories and fill the heart with purity and love. If the loss is too severe, then at first it is better to remove the photo out of sight. But there is absolutely no need to get rid of it forever. The time will come when the appearance of the deceased begins to blur and gradually disappear from a person’s memory - that’s when his photo will come to the rescue
It is also better to temporarily hide a photograph of a deceased person with whom there is resentment or misunderstanding. After a certain period, all negative emotions will fade into the background, and then you will be able to see your loved one with a pure heart

What to do with old photographs of deceased relatives?

Of course, they need to be stored. Now, if you imagine that the loved ones of great writers or others outstanding people we wouldn’t keep their photographs, as we would imagine them. It’s always interesting to check the portrait drawn in your imagination famous person with the original. So in this situation, our grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other heirs will want to know what their ancestor looked like. Photography will help them with this.
By preserving photographs of our relatives, we preserve a piece of our history, which will be important for our offspring
But the question of whether to expose these photographs to the public and ours, including daily viewing, remains open

Is it possible to hang portraits of deceased relatives on the wall?

Psychics claim that a photograph of the deceased can become a portal to the other world. By hanging a portrait of the deceased on the wall, we can open the door to world of the dead. If this door is constantly open, that is, the portrait will always be in sight, living people living in the house can feel the energy of the dead
Some relatives who have hung photographs of their deceased loved ones on the walls claim that they are constantly tormented by headaches, impotence, and various kinds of diseases. All this may be just a far-fetched theory, but it may also have some truth.
It is especially not recommended to place portraits of the dead on the walls in the bedroom, especially among children. Being under the constant gaze of the dead, you can think of anything you want.
Photographs taken on the day of the funeral have especially strong energy. It’s not clear why people take these kinds of pictures at all. After all, they only bear human sorrow and grief. Such photos are unlikely to bring goodness and positivity into the home. It would be better to get rid of them

According to the instructions of psychics, photographs of deceased relatives should be stored as follows:

It is advisable to separate photographs of the dead from photographs of living people
For photographs of the deceased, it is better to select a special photo album or photo box
If there is no separate album, then it is better to place such photos in a black opaque bag or envelope
If the photograph is general and there are also living people in it, then it is better to cut out the deceased from it and store it separately
In order for the photograph to be stored longer, it is better to laminate it
Photos of the deceased can be scanned and stored on a separate medium - disk, flash drive, website

The clothes of a deceased person can preserve his energy, especially if they were his favorite clothes. Therefore, you can either store it or get rid of it
The best way to get rid of a deceased person's clothes is by distributing them to those in need. The person will be grateful to you for the gift, and you can ask him to remember the deceased kind words and pray for him
If a person wore clothes during an illness on the eve of death, then it is better to burn such things

What to do, how to deal with the things of the deceased?

It is best to deal with the deceased’s belongings in the same way as with clothes - distribute them to the poor. If among his things there are things close to his heart, then they can be kept somewhere in a secret, remote place and taken out only when you want to remember your relative
If the thing is directly related to the suffering and death of a sick person, then it is better to get rid of it by burning
If during his lifetime a person gave instructions to his relatives regarding certain things, then it is best to deal with them in the way the deceased wanted

Is it possible to keep and wear the things of a deceased person?

Is it possible to wear things of a deceased person?

As mentioned above, it is best to get rid of such things. However, there are some things that are very difficult to part with. They can be preserved, but it is not recommended to take such clothes out of the closet for a long period of time. You can wear clothes after the deceased no earlier than 40 days after his death. Some people recommend holding off on doing this for at least a year.
after the death of a person
Psychics offer to clean the clothes of the deceased using the same holy water and salt. The item can simply be soaked in a water-salt solution for some time, and then washed thoroughly

If a relative himself insists that he would like to keep a memory of the deceased in the form of one thing or another, then he should not be denied this. You just need to ask him to pray for the soul of the deceased
If, being in full health, the deceased bequeathed his things to one of his relatives, then it is better to fulfill his will and give what was promised

Is it possible to keep the belongings of the deceased at home for relatives?

Of course, it is possible to store the belongings of a deceased person, but is it necessary?
It is believed that after a person’s departure to another world, his house, apartment, room needs to be cleaned full order. The best option Of course there will be new renovations. However, if this is not possible, then it is necessary to remove all the rubbish from the premises, throw away old, outdated things, distribute suitable things to those in need, and do general cleaning with disinfection
If the thing is as dear as a memory, then it can be hidden away from human eyes. It is best to wrap such a thing in a rag or an opaque bag and put it in the “far corner” for a while.

The fate of the deceased’s shoes is the same as the fate of his clothes and his other things - it’s best to give them away, but you can also keep them as souvenirs
There is only one rule common to everyone - in no case should you wear clothes and shoes taken from a deceased person, especially one who died a violent death.

It is believed that a person’s name has extremely strong energy. It can greatly influence the character and destiny of a person.
By naming a child in honor of a deceased person, parents doom him to a life and destiny similar to that relative. The baby’s karma will be heavily imprinted by his predecessor, because the trace of his stay in this world remains too obvious while his loved ones remember and mourn him
However, it is also believed that if a deceased relative lived a happy life, interesting life, then naming the baby after him, the parents deliberately wish him the same fate

The pectoral cross is a powerful source of spiritual strength and human karma
According to Christian customs, it is customary to bury a person together with his cross.
If for some reason the pectoral cross did not end up in the coffin with its owner, then it can be stored in the house in a separate box or bag
If the owner of the cross was a bad person, died of suicide or violent death, then it is better to say goodbye to such a cross - give it to the church, the needy, or melt it down for something else

If a person has lived a decent life, then you can ask church representatives whether his relatives are allowed to wear his pectoral cross. Perhaps the clergyman will offer to perform a cleansing ritual over the cross
You can also soak the cross yourself at home in holy water for several days, or even months.

Is it possible to wear a deceased relative's watch?

A watch is a rather personal item that can retain the imprint of its owner for a long period of time.
If the deceased person lived happy life and was with his relatives in good relations, then nothing will come of wearing his watch
If the deceased led an unworthy life and was at enmity with his loved ones, then it is better to get rid of his watch
In any case, when you put a watch on your hand, you will feel whether you want to wear it or not

Is it possible to wear jewelry from deceased relatives?

Precious metals and the stones have very good memory. They are able to remember their first owner for years and even decades
If relatives received the jewelry from a benevolent deceased person, then there should be no harm from wearing it. Some stones, such as opal, very quickly adapt to new energy and forget their previous owner
If the deceased was engaged in witchcraft or other magic with the help of this jewelry, then it is better to get rid of it altogether. It is advisable only for those heirs to whom the deceased passed on his secrets and knowledge to continue the work of his relative, that is, to connect himself with the world of magic.

What to do with the gold of a deceased relative, is it possible to wear it?

As for gold, it can be compared to jewelry.

Icons are considered heirlooms - in the old days, when there was a fire, the icons were taken out of the house first
It is best to take the icon of a deceased relative and place it next to your icons

The dishes of a deceased relative, again, are best distributed to those in need.
If the deceased’s archive contains family silver or sets, then they can be washed, cleaned and continued to be kept.

Phone - relatively new thing in our lives, therefore there is no clear opinion on this matter yet, neither the church nor our grandparents
If the phone is expensive, then you can continue to use it
If the device is already quite outdated, then again you can do a good deed and give the phone to the poor - let them pray for the deceased once again
If the phone was in the pocket of the deceased at the time of suicide or violent death, then it is better not to keep such a thing.

What to do with the belongings of a deceased person: Video

This story has not been edited. Its spelling and punctuation are preserved in their original form.

These 21 Victorian post-mortem photographs are disturbing. How it was?

The Victorian era was a very "Gothic" period in human history. One of the most exciting traditions of the era was the practice of post-mortem photography (that is, photographing the dead). By today's standards this would be taboo, but at the time it was considered quite normal.

This doesn't mean that these photos are any less creepy to look at today; on the contrary, it probably makes them even creepier. Here are 21 of the most disturbing examples of Victorian post-mortem photography we could find. Attention. #13 might really shock you.

1.) In an effort to produce the opposite effect of "creepiness", such "mementos" (English - "memorable gifts", "souvenirs"), on the contrary, were made to "commemorate" deceased loved ones.

2.) For this reason, many photographers have tried to make their "clients" look alive.

3.) Photographers use various tricks to make their “clients” more life-like.

4.) One of the most common techniques they used was to put people next to their favorite things and creatures (like this man in a chair with his dogs).

5.) Or this girl is here with her toys.

6.) In some cases, photographers tried to pretend that dead man sleeping

8.) Notice how the photographer uses the person's hand to support their head?

9.) Notice the strange position of the curtain behind the boy? It is likely that someone behind her is supporting the boy's head.

10.) This girl was placed sideways on a chair so as to hide the support device.

11.) She looks almost alive in this photo.

12.) Do you see anything strange in the background? This girl is sitting on someone's lap. While the photo was being taken, someone held her in place.

13.) In this photo, the girl standing in the middle is a deceased person. The photographer tried to make her more alive, relying on his teachers.

14.) In other cases, it was not possible to make the “clients” look like they were alive.

15.) It was normal for family members to pose with deceased loved ones for these photographs.

16.) You might say that this is difficult for living family members. The expression of great suffering on the parents' faces is obvious.

17.) One can only imagine what it would be like to pose next to a deceased close relative. At that time, photography was slow and you couldn't move until the photo was ready.

18.) In this photo you can see that the dead girl is in better focus than her parents, this is because they moved while the photo was taken.

19.) There's something about her eyes in this photo.

20.) This one is pretty obvious. [ What? not quite clear- translator].

21.) I'm not sure which one is the deceased one.

I was almost speechless. The first impression of the photographs is definitely creepy, but the overall effect they produce is very strong. You might think it's weird for parents to pose for a photo with their dead dead child, but at that time such a demonstration of grief, not hidden from the public, was also considered a manifestation of spiritual courage.

The Museum of World Funeral Culture has an unusual exhibition: Pos-mortem photographs or post-mortem photography.

Post-mortem photography- the custom of photographing recently deceased people, which appeared in the 19th century with the invention of the daguerreotype. Such photographs were commonplace at the end of the century before last, and are currently an object of study and collecting.

Post-mortem photos served not so much as a reminder of mortality, but as a kind of sentimental souvenir in memory of the deceased. Photographing deceased children and newborns became especially popular, since the infant mortality rate during the Victorian era was very high, and such photographs were sometimes the only portraits of children left to the family as a keepsake.

Peak of popularity post-mortem photography fell on late XIX century, however, later began to decline and was soon completely supplanted by the invention of instant photography, which became more widespread and popular, although some continuation of the tradition could be traced in the 20th century.

Early post-mortem photographs depicted the face of the deceased close-up or the whole body, less often in a coffin. The deceased was photographed in such a way as to create the illusion of deep sleep, and sometimes he was given relaxed poses that imitated a living person.

Children were usually placed in strollers, on high chairs or sofas, surrounded by their favorite toys and dolls. It was also common to photograph the entire family or immediate relatives, usually the mother, brothers or sisters, together with the deceased. Such staged photographs were taken both in the house of the deceased and in the photographer’s studio.

Photos of dead children were especially precious for parents, because during their lifetime they were almost never removed or not removed at all. And so the parents at least had something left.

Then no one was afraid of such photos, they did not repel anyone, even very young children were not afraid not only of the photo, but also of the deceased relatives themselves...

There was a custom to photograph a deceased woman and cut off a lock of her hair. This photograph, along with the lock of hair, was placed in a medallion and worn on the chest. The photographs were taken in the house where the deceased lay, in the funeral home and in the cemetery...

Adults in post-mortem photographs have traditionally been given a sitting pose. Often the surrounding space was lavishly decorated with flowers. To add vitality, the photographer on top closed eyes in the picture he showed them open, and in earlier pictures they applied a little pink paint to the cheek area.

In more recent post-mortem photographs, the deceased are increasingly depicted in coffins, with all relatives, friends and acquaintances present at the funeral captured in the photograph.

The tradition of taking and storing such photographs is still preserved in some Eastern European countries.

Almost every family in Russia had such photographs, but then they began to be destroyed, and now you can hardly find them. They tore up and threw away pictures with the dead because they no longer remembered these people, and family values, for example, the memory of the family, became a thing of the past.

All three are dead here, but they look alive. It was for this purpose that a rolled up sheet of paper was thrust into the man’s hand. This gives it “extra liveliness.”

And here, too, the whole family is dead. Sometimes dead women had their hair let down so that the tripod with which the corpse was held in a standing position would not be visible.

Tripod for post-mortem photos.

Photos of dead parents with dead children.

This photo is controversial. There is information that only a woman is alive here. But this is unconfirmed data.

This girl was run over by a train. And so she is photographed as if she is sitting at a high table. In fact, the corpse simply does not have a lower half.

In the photo the dead girl is standing on the right

Today there is a large number of constantly expanding collections post-mortem photographs Victorian era. Thomas Harris, a New York collector, explains his passion this way. “They (the photographs) calm you down and make you think about the priceless gift of life”...

One of the most famous collections of postmortem photography is the Burns archive. In total it contains more than four thousand photographs. Photographs from this archive were used in the film “The Others.”

Another way to perpetuate the memory of the deceased, which has been used in the past to this day, is death mask or post-mortem face cast or the hands of the deceased. you can read on our website and find out at the Museum of World Funerary Culture.

Did you like the article? Share the link on social networks!

Remember “The Others” with Nicole Kidman, that episode where she looks at photographs of dead people? This is not the director’s fantasy at all. The tradition of taking postmortem photographs (postmortem), often opening the eyes of the dead and sitting them in poses familiar to the living, existed for quite a long time. It was believed that it was in posthumous photography that the soul of the deceased would now live. Postmortems are rarely shown to outsiders, but they exist, and their number numbers in the thousands...

Horrible! Not at all. For a long time, plaster masks were removed from the dead and portraits were made. Of course, this was not available to everyone. In 1839, Louis Daguerre invented the daguerreotype, which were small photographs on polished silver. Not very rich people could afford a daguerreotype, but only once, namely after death...

The tradition of post-mortem photographs developed in Victorian England, from there it spread to the USA and other countries, including Russia....

Exist different kinds postmortems. Most Victorian post-mortem photographs show the deceased sleeping peacefully...

Photographs of dead children were especially precious to parents because they were rarely taken or not taken at all during their lifetime. And so the parents at least had something left...

Many of them were seated and surrounded by toys so that they looked like living children...

Often brothers and sisters posed with the deceased child...

And the parents posed very often...

Multiple prints could be made from a single negative, so families could send the photograph to other relatives.

Such photographs were considered memorial gifts rather than disturbing reminders of a recent death.

Today there are a large number of ever-growing collections of post-mortem photographs from the Victorian era. Thomas Harris, a New York collector, explains his passion this way. “They (the photographs) calm you down and make you think about the priceless gift of life”...

One of the most famous collections posthumous photography is the Burns archive. In total it contains more than four thousand photographs. Photos from this archive were used in the film “The Others”...

Then no one was afraid of such photos, they did not repel anyone, even very young children were not afraid not only of the photo, but also of the deceased relatives themselves...

IN Lately post-mortem photography is considered difficult to perceive. They try to avoid such pictures...

Nowadays, photographing the dead is often perceived as a strange Victorian custom, but it was and remains an important, if not recognized, phenomenon of life, and not only in American life...

Along with headstones, funeral cards and other images of death, these photographs represent a way in which people have tried to preserve their shadows, their memories...

Thus, Americans take and use photographs of deceased relatives and friends in spite of public opinion about the inappropriateness of such photographs...

Post-mortem photography continues to interest people, including criminal investigators...

Especially a lot of children's photographs. This is explained, in particular, by the very high infant mortality rate in those years...

Already in the 20-30s of the 20th century, scientists began to study the phenomenon of post-mortem photographs. Then the expression “photography is a little death” appeared. With a click of the camera, the photographer seemed to kill the moment and at the same time make it eternally alive...

This is how the dead remained forever alive on the cards, who were filmed in their usual surroundings - reading newspapers, in their favorite chair, with friends and family. The bravest even took pictures of the dead looking in the mirror. This is brave! But I haven't seen such photos...

A series of such photographs formed a book of the dead. During the days of epidemics, entire family albums were collected in these gloomy books. For relatives, these were all faces dear to the heart...

When cheap photography replaced the daguerreotype, the photographer was invited to every significant event: weddings, christenings, buying a house or car, birthdays and holidays. AND post-mortem photograph became the logical conclusion in this series. But the main thing is that in this way people tried to capture the last moment loved one...

And, by the way, when relatives were asked about such photographs, they always remembered not the death of the deceased, not his torment, not their grief, but what he was like during his lifetime. We only remembered the good...

Postmortems often appeared on tombstones...

In villages, filming has always been an event comparable in importance to a funeral. Often these two events were combined. The whole village gathered for the funeral photography...

The tradition of filming dead children continued in our country even after Patriotic War. Post-mortem photos began to disappear only in the 60s...

The external manifestation of intimacy has become more significant. That is why in the Soviet Union there appeared unique phenomenon- filming a funeral. If in other countries they were limited to one or two mourning shots, then in our country they filmed the entire procession...

Nowadays photographs of a dead man have been replaced by photographs of a grave. Photographers still work in cemeteries during funerals. Although this custom is gradually dying out...

Preface to the questions, I want to say that these photos do not scare or repel me. Historians look at such things as evidence of an era. And it’s also very sad and a little touching...

Don't posthumous images of the greats scare you?.. I feel like I've upset you, okay, next time I'll make you laugh...

I don’t give links, because the topic is very popular, if you wish, you can find a lot of texts, pictures and videos...

Written

It has long been customary to see numerous portraits of deceased ancestors in the homes of grandmothers and older relatives. It was not considered objectionable or dangerous. However, now any step associated with death carries many interpretations, often opposing ones. Therefore, opinions on whether it is possible to keep photos of recently deceased people in the house vary. And which one to choose and which one to ignore, each person decides for himself.

Photo for funeral

For funeral procession you need to choose a photo that both the deceased and his relatives liked. This portrait can be framed and taken home after the funeral, where it will remain until the end of 40 days after death. After this, the portrait can be removed, given to relatives or placed in the room of the deceased.

Bureaux that provide assistance in organizing funerals often offer the service of laminating photos with a special coating that will protect it from rapid fading, damage by wind and excess moisture. Such a portrait can be placed on the cross as a temporary one until the monument is erected.

Photos of the deceased at home - different points of view

Opinions of clergy

Christian priests consider any superstition a sin, and insist that a photograph of the deceased cannot be dangerous and bring harm to the living. If this was a loved and revered person, you want to keep a reminder of him not only in photo albums, but also to see him constantly. Portrait collages or photos of ancestors make you more often remember deceased relatives and pray for the repose of their souls, so they can be placed on walls, in photo albums or chests of drawers without fear.

Psychologists' opinions

Some people experience the death of loved ones so hard that any reminder of this leads to even greater suffering. Often this condition is accompanied by depression, and disappears only after sufficient time. Psychologists recommend removing photos until the moment when a person comes to terms with the loss and begins to slowly come back to life. After this, the portrait of the deceased can be returned to its place;

Healers' opinions

From the point of view of extrasensory perception, a photo of the deceased is a kind of portal to another world, therefore portraits, especially of those who died a violent death or committed suicide, are undesirable in the house. Photos taken directly at the funeral are also not welcome. They are not stored, and, if possible, burned.

Photo storage rules

When stored in in paper form the photo is placed in a box or any other archive protected from sunlight, moisture and dust. However, all portrait photographs, even when coated with a laminating compound, fade and lose clarity over time. So as not to lose this visual memory O a loved one, they recommend scanning photographs and transferring them to modern media such as flash cards, hard drive, including removable.

Views