Death Masks

Posted on October 24th, 2018 by Foothill Funeral and Cremation under Burial, Cremation, Death, Glendora
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Death Masks GlendoraIn our ongoing October series about macabre death-related events (because, apparently, death itself is no longer considered macabre enough), we wanted to cover something that is unusual as well as interesting – death masks. In this first in a two-part series, we will discuss death mask history as well as DIY masks you can make of yourself (while you are still alive.) Death masks are portraits, although sculptors may sometimes make changes to the eyes to make it appear as though the subject were alive.

Early Death Mask HistoryEgyptian Death Mask

  • Began in antiquity — the most famous being the funerary mask of Tutankhamun.
  • The Ancient Egyptians were the first to use death masks as aids provided to sculptors, who craft 3D portraits using the masks for reference.
  • Wealthy Romans ritually kept death masks of their ancestors for display and worship.
  • The Victorians too were briefly obsessed – according to the Victorian science of phrenology, you could determine a person’s character and personality from the shape of his or her head.
  • From the 1820s to the 1840s, a leading British phrenologist and mask-maker, James de Ville, accumulated some 2,000 specimens.
  • For the last few centuries, the masks have been kept for more than just that purpose, but as mementos of the dead.

Death Masks after the 13th Century

  • Death masks have aided in tomb effigies.
  • Inmedieval France and England, actual death masks were used for royal funeral effigies laying in state.
  • Only English examples exist, as most masks in France where destroyed during the French Revolution.
  • The mask of Henry VII is considered the finest in existence.
  • Death Mask Creation HistoryEdward III’s is the earliest European example, although it contains facial distortion because he died from a stroke.
  • Edinburgh University’s Anatomy Museum, Scotland Yard’s Crime Museum and America’s Princeton University have all been left large collections of death masks.
  • Some death masks have become highly collectible. For example, Napoleon’s, taken shortly after he died in exile on St Helena in 1821, sold in London in 2013 for approximately $220,000.
  • Researchers discovered the death mask of a notorious Victorian murderer, Benjamin Courvoisier, hanged in 1840. His body was in an outbuilding on a remote farm in the North of England. It fetched $26,000 at auction.

Death Mask Cover FaceImmortalization in plaster 
Do-it-Yourself DIY tips:

  • Shop around.
    Depending on the thickness and detail you want, supplies will vary. For thin, inexpensive and somewhat detailed casts, use plaster bandages. Plaster of Paris also works. But it can be painful for the model. Alginate is effective but hard to work with because it is delicate. Silicone is painless and safe for the skin, gets great detail but is expensive.
  • Be aware of skin irritants.
    For example, manufacturers use mint-flavored dental Alginate or other products mixed with seaweed. These can burn or lead to rashes for some people.

    Death Mask Irritation Skin

    Make sure the mask you make for yourself doesn’t irritate your skin.

  • Make sure your model can breathe. (unless you prefer a death mask).
    Provide him or her with thin straws for breathing through the mouth or nose.
  • Cover facial hair with Vaseline.
    This will keep hair from sticking to plaster of Paris or plaster bandages. This step won’t be necessary if you decide to go with silicone.
  • Apply bandages.
    Use thin layers, smoothing as you go. With other forms, spread the material carefully over the face in a smooth, even layer.
  • Let the material set.
    For some materials, prep time will be about 15 minutes. If you’re using other materials, such as rubber, the process can take up to 40 minutes. If your subject is young, use something that’s fast and painless. (Not that aged people like long painful processes, either.)

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.Death Mask History

Check back next week, in our final macabre October posts, when we finish up this two-part series about death masks. In it, we will cover the top 25 most famous death masks of all time. Don’t miss it!

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.

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