Thanatographic Photography of 1800s

Thanatographic Photography in 1800s

In the 1800s, postmortem photography was a key part of the photographic industry. Professionals often discussed its techniques in trade journals. Articles like Nathaniel G. Burgess' "Taking Portraits After Death" (1859), Charlie E. Orr’s "Post-Mortem Photography" (1873), and C. Brangwin Barnes' piece in the "British Journal of Photography" (1883) provided essential knowledge for this niche.

Readers today might find such texts disturbing. For instance, a 1873 panel discussion in "The Philadelphia Photographer" casually mentioned the expulsion of fluids from a cadaver during a shoot, with advice on managing it. Orr, a successful Chicago studio owner, described how to open the deceased's eyes with a teaspoon.

The discourse often covered where to take postmortem photos. Traditionally, bodies were displayed at home before funerals, suggesting this as a natural setting for photographs. Yet in America, it was common to bring the body to a professional studio. Some photographers, like Southworth and Hawes, advertised services at both the studio and the home. Conversely, European cities sometimes regulated against studio photography of the deceased, reflecting cultural differences and evolving knowledge about disease transmission.

Technically, home photography spared photographers from modifying their studios but posed other difficulties. The complex process required transporting and preparing photographic plates under tight deadlines. Burgess and Orr detailed these challenges, advising on the setup of temporary darkrooms. By the 1880s, gelatin plates reduced the need for immediate processing.

Lighting was another challenge in homes. While some, like Valentine Blanchard, used magnesium wire for illumination as early as 1865, it was impractical for home settings due to harsh shadows and dust. Photographers often relied on natural light, moving the body to suitable locations and using reflective surfaces to soften shadows.

These practices aimed to depict a "good death," aligning with 19th-century views on death as liberation from suffering and a step toward eternal life, supported by the Christian belief in resurrection. This sentiment was captured in artful photographs like Henry Peach Robinson's "Fading Away" (1858), which depicted death as peaceful slumber.

The second photograph is a commercial work, produced in 1863, and it represents the rare situation in which the dying person was photographed shortly before her death.

Miss Horth is presented in the image as if falling asleep, and the only attribute suggesting her “dying condition” is a crucifix, which was among conventional props used in such situations. In many ways, this photograph is a perfect example the instructions provided by both Burgess and Orr. According to the “manuals,” the body should be presented in a bed or sofa, in a position that suggests relaxation and acceptance.

Photographing the deceased in coffins was discouraged. Burgess offered the following advice if the body was already placed in the casket: “It is of considerable importance that the coffin should not appear in the picture, and it may be covered around the edges by means of a piece of colored cloth, a shawl, or any drapery that will conceal it from view.” In addition, the photograph should concentrate on the face of the deceased, with the rest of the body blurred or covered (or preferably both). In general, the suggestion to hide the body in post mortem photography resulted from the difficulty many photographers faced when trying to achieve a relaxed pose once advanced rigor mortis set in. For example, Orr openly advised his readers to arrange for help, as posing an average-sized dead adult model presented a significant physical challenge for the photographer.

Nevertheless, images of fully-grown deceased models represent the minority of post mortem photographs, as main subjects of posthumous portraits are children.