Victorian death photography became popular after the invention of the daguerreotype (the first commercially successful photographic process). Most families couldn’t afford to have a portrait painted so instead they would have a photograph taken. Infant mortality rates were very high and this was sometimes the only image of a child that parents would have.

Early memento mori photography usually depicted the child as if alive posed with a favourite play thing or relative. Sometimes details were added to the photo like painting on open eyes or a rosey blush to the cheeks. Later on images started to be more of the dead in a coffin surrounded by relatives and funeral attendees.

Memento mori photography reminds me in a way of taxidermy. Something dead that is made to appear alive. The last moment recorded in the creatures body and face and then suspended forever. A glimpse of something transient made eternal.

Recently i have made a line of jewellery inspired by these photographs.

These will be for sale at my stall for the Norwich body art festival and then eventually online