Victorian Era folks used to take pics with their deceased. Yeah, not creepy at all. : Weird History

Victorian Era folks used to take pics with their deceased. Yeah, not creepy at all.

You read that right. In the Victorian Era, death was so rampant due to all sorts of diseases that peeps started getting comfy with it—too comfy. They'd pose with their recently departed fam for a final family portrait. Some of these post-mortem photographs have the deceased dressed up, seated, and looking like they're just chilling (literally). With today's lens (pun totally intended), it's hella weird, but back then it was like a memory capture cause not everyone could afford a painting. Death was just another part of life, but I can't imagine taking selfies with my dead bro. No thanks.

Submitted 10 months, 3 weeks ago by historyscreep

Victorians taking selfies with the dead is less disturbing than half the stuff we see online now. At least they had the excuse of not having tech and high death rates. What's our excuse?

10 months, 3 weeks ago by OldeTymePessimist

Just imagine the photographer's pitch - 'Now, just rest your hand on dear old dad’s shoulder, perfect, hold it, hold it... And that's a wrap, your depressing momento is ready in a week.' Gotta love the Victorians, so extra lol.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by DarkSnarky

Interesting to see how attitudes toward death have changed, isn't it? Back then people literally lived with the deceased during the mourning period and death happened at home. Now it's all sanitized and distant. We're removed from it in a way that would probably be just as strange to them as their photos are to us.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by time_hopper1922

Isn't it kinda morbid though? Like, propping up your dead uncle to stand for a photo... Yeah, it was normal for them, but yikes!

10 months, 3 weeks ago by chill_with_the_thrill

Actually, this tradition has its own beauty. If you put yourself in their shoes, death was a big part of their everyday life. These photos were a final act of remembrance, something tangibly intimate in an era where death could come swiftly and without warning. And although it might seem creepy to us, there was a level of dignity and love in these portraits that we shouldn't overlook.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by VictorianVibesOnly

lol just imagine your IG feed filled with dead peeps like 'hey chilling with grandma #deadselfie'. History is wild.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by edgy_past_lurker

From an anthropological perspective, the practice of post-mortem photography during the Victorian era was steeped in cultural significance. It's indeed a jarring custom to our modern sensibilities, but it served an important role in the grieving process. Mortality rates were high, and these photos were sometimes the only physical reminder of the deceased due to the costliness of portraiture. Moreover, the Victorians had a very different relationship with death than we do today. A lot of their customs, such as these photographs, elaborate mourning attire, and mourning jewelry made with the hair of the deceased, were part of their elaborate death rituals, which might seem macabre to us but were actually quite common and accepted in their time.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by MorbidAnthropologist

Yeah, seen those pics, creepy AF but in a weird way also touching? Like, it was one of the few chances they got to have everyone in a photo, dead or not. Photography was crazy expensive at that time. Gives a whole new piece to the saying 'a picture is worth a thousand words' cause like, this might have been the only image they had of that person.