Sepulchral Portraits on Stones

The types of portraits shown here were commonly placed on stones during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Time, vandalism, and other factors contribute to their deterioration. Some photos are missing altogether.

Photos of this vintage represent my favorite style of portraiture. The pictures are not always flattering and smiles are rare (common among portraits from the early 20th century). Their placement in an outdoor environment accelerates their decay, a factor which I think gives a distinguished visual expression to the passage of time and the changing memories of the deceased. I find it enchanting but serenely mysterious how these faces look out, sometimes through cracked glass and other forms of deterioration.

These types of sepulchral photos are making a comeback. Full color photos and carved-in-stone representations of the deceased are becoming common at most active cemeteries. LCD technology is also being used to incorporate video presentations of the deceased, the LCD screen embedded into the grave marker or in a columbarium niche.