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Art Twistory: Postmortem Photography

  • Louden Nelson Community Center 301 Center Street Santa Cruz, CA, 95060 United States (map)

This presentation is about the rise and fall of postmortem portraiture, most prominent during the Victorian era. Why did people photograph the corpses of their loved ones, and why aren’t such photos prevalent anymore? What factors of human culture precipitated this blip on the radar of art historians? Where does it fit into the catalogue of Art History? A warning to the squeamish: while none of these vintage photographs are gruesome, all of the subjects are dead.  Cost: $10 donation appreciated, $5 students and seniors. No reservations necessary.  (Supporting essay here)  (About Art Twistory)

Later Event: February 4
Art Twistory: A Dead Man's Tale