1800's infant funeral portrait?

[ziggy007]

This is a very old framed charcoal portrait. It is an infant who appears to be deceased. The baby is wearing what looks like a christining gown with his little arms folded across his chest and his eyes closed. It looks like he is laying on a white pillow;  like you are standing above him at the foot of the coffin looking at him.  Across the bottom of the portrait (under the glass) at the foot of the infant  is a  preserved/dried plant - looks like a fern?  My guess is that this plant may have come from his burial site? He/she is a beautiful baby with very blonde hair and looks very peaceful. The portrait  is in fantastic condition. The portrait is 8x10 and with the frame the whole thing is 20x18.  This was found tucked away in a shed at an estate sale. It is 1800's for sure but thats all I know about it.

[Tim]

It was commonplace to take pictures of the deceased back then. Remember that photography was still new and not everyone had the ability of take photographs. Some families had very few, if any ever taken, so when someone died it was common for a photograph to be taken by the funeral parlor or a local photographer. It was a way of remembrance.

Did you know that flowers became popular at funerals, not for their beauty but because of the fragrance they emit..........befor e the days of embalming.

Enough of that.....I will move on to other topics.
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best.............Ti m