Memento Mori - Deathliness & Consumption

During the Victorian period there was very much an obsession with death. Unlike today, the victorians emerged themselves in all things to do with death, the supernatural and the afterlife. In todays society, we are quite detached from death. 

This could be due to the fact that death was much more common back then. Common causes of death included:
- Infant mortality
- Cholera
- Child birth
- Fatal diseases
- Industrial accidents

Common diseases caught in early adolescence included small pox, tuberculosis and cholera. 

It is said that Queen Victoria mourned her Husband's death for 40 years. She set the archetype on how to have a good death. 

From this the fascination with death extended. Mementos became popular to recognise death and celebrate the life lost. 

One way of practising the theory of Memento Mori was post mortem photography. When a family member died, the living relatives would gather around the corpse to be photographed, often propping up the body to appear alive.

In this example, you can barely tell who is living and who isn't. I personally find it incredibly creepy. 

Another tradition associated with death that was often adhered to was the creation of death masks. When a person died their face would be preserved forever by creating a mould from clay. Here is an example.

I had a go at creating a make up look inspired by these death masks. I first took a picture of my model in shadowy lighting to create some shadow and highlight on the face. I then used this picture to help me create a look.

I actually really like the effect created, it looks quite artistic. I think it looks almost gargoyle in style - which is quite a gothic concept.