.. of taking photographs of the dead person gained huge popularity in the Victorian era. It was common late in the Civil War mid-1860’s to take pictures of the dead man sitting with his family. As 1900 approached and photographic and ability to prop up the dead tachniques improved, it seemed everyone who could afford it was doing it.
It’s a bit frightening to do photo searches today to see what people were wearing because you never know if the person depicted was dead or alive at the time. The favorite was to show children and young women alongside their siblings.
(Photo: 1845 sisters. Which are dead and which are alive?)