Death Masks Part 2
Part 2 in a 2-Part Series
In this, the final post in our ongoing October series about macabre death-related events we wanted to cover something that is unusual as well as interesting – death masks. To read part one of this, click here.
As explained in Encyclopedia Britannica, a death mask is a wax or plaster cast of a mold taken from the face of someone who has died. Death masks are portraits, although sculptors may sometimes make changes to the eyes to make it appear as though the subject were alive.
Infamous Masks
Whether they were executed, assassinated, committed suicide, killed in battle, suffered a fatal car crash, or died in their beds of old age, these 25 famous men’s faces have been preserved for posterity in plaster:
- Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) –epileptic seizures following stroke at 83
- Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) – bronchitis at 76
- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) – pleurisy at 84
- Erwin Rommel (1891-1944) –forced suicide by cyanide poisoning at 52
- Henrich Himmler (1900-1945) – suicide by cyanide poisoning at 44
- Henry VII (1457-1509) – tuberculosis at 52
- Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) – gunshot wound in battle at 47
- Isaac Newton (1642-1727) – kidney stone at 84
- James Dean (1931-1955) – car crash injuries at 24
- Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) – liver damage from alcohol consumption at 56
- Martin Luther (1483-1546) – apoplectic stroke at 62
- Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794) – execution by beheading at 36.
- Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) – gastric cancer at 51
- Ned Kelly (1855-1880) – execution by hanging at 25
- Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) – septicemia following urinary infection at 59
Oliver Cromwell Death Mask
- Reinhard Heydrich (1904-1942) – wounds from bomb attack at 38
- Richard the Great (1712-1786) – unspecified cause of death at 74
- Richard Wagner (1813-1883) – heart failure at 69
- Robert E. Lee (1807-1870) – pneumonia following stroke at 63
- Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) – heart failure at 75
- Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) – blood clot on lung at 60
- Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) – throat cancer at 63
- Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924) – syphilis at 53
- William T. Sherman (1820-1891) – unspecified cause of death at 71
- Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) – heart failure following stroke at 67
Another Way to Go
Did you know that you don’t have to be dead to have your face immortalized in plaster? In contrast to death masks, life masks are made from molds taken from living faces, such as what Robin Williams’ character’s brotherdid for him while creating his mask in Mrs. Doubtfire. Some examples of people whose faces were preserved while they were alive include Henry Clay and James Madison.
Death Masks at Foothill Funeral & Cremation
While we have yet to be asked to create a death mask, we have done them in the past and are ready for the next request. We have also done life castings of hands folded in place, which is eerie because the final result shows details like pores, hair follicles, finger prints etc.
Happy Halloween, from all of us at Foothill Funeral & Cremation!
About Foothill Funeral & Cremation Services
Although we jest, we take death very seriously. We know your loved one was very important to you. And we value the opportunity to celebrate his or her life or help you pre-plan a service for yourself. Feel free to contact us now to pre-plan your own memorial or at your time of need (626) 335-0615. Or, if you prefer, reach us by email or drop by our Glendora showroom. Our relationship with United Methodist Church is the perfect place for mourners to host funerals and memorials. You’ll love the grandiose yet intimate setting. We proudly serve the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire. Finally, working in the mortuary industry since 1996, our reputation is one of quality, sincerity and trust. Please allow us to help you at your time of need or in the future. Call today (626) 335-0615 or contact us via email.
