Featured Some of my favorite Victorian photos with a few questions.

Yes, Fakesie, I think you're right.

 

I'm not completely sure but thought of two possibilities.
1) It's a photo of a painted portrait. Sometimes people took photos of paintings
2) It's a copy photo of a heavily painted-over photo. You said there are two of them, so somebody might have wanted several copies.

On that one, is it still in the album, or is that oval frame part of the photo itself? That might not make much difference but I'm just curious.

 

Fig, that one is still in the album (both are, they seem to be stuck or glued inside the album page) but it's a printed scroll work frame and the actual oval 'photo' of the girl and cat look to be glued on to the backing. Then that is placed in the album.

 

it's a photograph of a painting

 

Regarding the baby, the uneven background makes me think this is indeed post-mortem - it looks like someone is holding him upright behind the curtain (as I found out was done in post-mortem pictures).

 

As has been said the baby's eyes are closed and I too read that sometimes someone is holding up the deceased so I agree this is post mortem.

 

Hi
Here are some photos were moms are "hidden" holding up babies.

 

'Hidden moms' are very common in baby pictures from this era. A deceased baby wouldn't need the support from mom, they usually propped the baby in a chair. Mom was there to stop the living child from moving hopefully long enough to get an exposure. I have studied post mortem photography for years and stands and hidden moms indicate living people, not deceased. That said, my picture still has me on the fence.
I noticed how swollen the baby's wrists are in my picture as well, very odd.
Thanks for all the help !

 

Hi @Calico, ....I took the liberty of fixing the baby's eyes so you can get a better comparison....personally....my jury is still out on postmortem or not, BUT, that being said, the hands are darker AND do have a bit of mottling on them....so I may be leaning towards postmortem. The very first image of the girl with the cat....to me looks like a girl who has a disability....from her positioning, head tilt and short looking neck.....now I could also be waaaay off base!!! Here's you baby's image....the owner may also have wanted to give the baby some "focus" in the image......postmortem or not!!!! (I did NOT try to 'put eyes in'.....just removed the pin pricks!!!) EDIT: I forgot to mention....in doing the edit....it DOES appear that the baby's eyes were OPEN.....FWIW......

 

Thank you Aquitaine and I agree with every thing you said. I had noticed the awkward pose of the girl with the cat and as for the second baby, I'm still on the fence. Some things point to post mortem but not enough for me to be sure. Guess I'll never know unless I find an expert on PM pictures to ask.

 

I found this article and there is some interesting information in it -

http://www.skepticink.com/incredulous/2016/06/19/myth-victorian-post-mortem-photography/

Some of the comments added at the bottom are worth reading too.

 

Maybe it is a "prop" cat; cardboard, plush, or stuffed.....