Post Mortem Young Woman Casket Funeral 1900s Real Photo Postcard

Post-mortem photography was a widespread practice from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries, offering families a final, tangible remembrance of deceased loved ones, especially during a period of high infant and child mortality rates. These photographs often represented the only image ever taken of the individual, providing a cherished keepsake to aid in the grieving process. The presentation of the child in a casket reflects the common funerary customs of the era, where wakes and viewings often took place in the family home.

Such memorial portraits were an integral part of historical mourning rituals, underscoring a societal acceptance of death as a natural, if sorrowful, part of life. They served to preserve the memory and presence of the departed, providing a physical representation for families to hold onto. The decline of post-mortem photography coincided with advancements in medicine, reductions in child mortality, and evolving cultural attitudes towards death, leading to its eventual cessation as a common practice by the mid-20th century.