Posthumous masks of great people. How and why do posthumous masks?

Posthumous masks are an invention that has come to the modern world from the depths of centuries. They are a mold made from the person of the deceased. To create them, plastic materials are used (mostly plaster). It was these products that enabled modern humanity to get a clear picture of the appearance of many famous people who lived in the distant past, better understand the circumstances of their deaths.

Why do people's posthumous masks

The reasons for creating such casts are different. Posthumous masks are often regarded as family relics. Such products can be preserved for centuries, traveling from generation to generation. Thanks to them, the descendants know how their distant ancestors looked. It is not surprising that in this way not only the faces of prominent representatives of the human race are perpetuated.

Posthumous masks are extremely useful in the creation of monuments. Not always the sculptor can accurately reproduce the facial features of the deceased, relying solely on photographs and all the more on portraits. The presence of the impression greatly facilitates this task, which has a positive effect not only on the reliability of the appearance, but also on the cost of work.

Finally, such products can prove useful in expert practice. The mask reproduces the structure of the face without distorting the dimensions. With its help, the smallest details are displayed.

Let's turn to history

As already mentioned, posthumous masks are not the invention of our contemporaries. The most ancient product, known to people, was created in the 16th century BC. This is a cast made from the face of the dead Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Initially, the mask was not the last role in the funeral rite, the dead people were buried with them. Then they began to be regarded as an independent value, preserved for descendants.

The material from which the casts were made was determined primarily by the status that the deceased possessed during his lifetime, the financial position of his heirs. They were made even from gold, wood, clay and gypsum were also used. The first copies were often decorated with painting, when they were created, precious stones were used.

Preparatory work

After understanding why postmortem masks are made, one can turn to the technology of their creation, which is a very interesting process. Molds can be created directly at the place of detection of a dead body, it is also possible to produce them in a morgue. Of course, this procedure is carried out before the forensic experts open the corpse.

How do postmortem masks? The process begins with the preparation of the body. The face and hair of the deceased are carefully treated with petroleum jelly, it can be replaced with almost any cosmetic cream. The skin's microrelief should remain intact, therefore the cream is superimposed by the thinnest layer. Tying the head with a towel is necessary in order to keep on face a plaster mask. Necessarily the lower part of the neck is closed, the ears and the head are hidden.

Production technology

The manufacture of the posthumous mask begins with the creation of a gypsum form. This material is bred until it has a consistency corresponding to the density of sour cream. Ocher serves to make the mass acquire a flesh color, and sometimes other dyes are used.

Next is the application of the substance on the entire face, for which the brush or spoon is taken. The work is traditionally conducted from the forehead. The first layer has a thickness of 1 cm, subsequent layers increase this figure to 2-3 cm. After solidification, the mold is removed from the face, taking the lower edge. The cleaving edges are attached with glue. Next, the form is treated with petroleum jelly, is placed upward by the hollow part, is filled with gypsum. The wire frame serves to fix it.

The finishing stage is the separation of the form from the positive. Sometimes you have to use a wooden hammer. Here's how to do posthumous masks. Interestingly, this technology has not changed for many decades.

The most creepy masks

Everything that has to do with death causes a greater or lesser degree of fear in mankind. However, there are posthumous "portraits", which produce a particularly frightening impression. An example of such a product can serve as a cast from the face of a drowned woman, who died in France in 1880. The girl went down in history under the name Stranger from the Seine.

The body of a 16-year-old drowned man, when he was removed from the water, did not contain traces of violence. Her face was so beautiful that the surprised pathologist could not resist creating a plaster cast. The gypsy "portrait" of the smiling deceased was replicated in endless copies. Even poet poems were dedicated to the girl, among them Vladimir Nabokov, who was impressed by the death mask. The photo can be seen above, the girl on it seems alive.

Among the terrible casts can be attributed and the one made from the face of the composer Beethoven. The genius creator died in 1827 from a disease that managed to make the facial features of his face horrible.

Cast riddles

Why do posthumous masks? It is possible that in order to share with the descendants secrets that remain unsolved for centuries. Among the most discussed by our contemporaries casts from the past can be attributed to the one made from the person of the great William Shakespeare. He was discovered in 1849 in a junk shop.

Researchers have not yet come to a consensus on whether this is really his "portrait" and whether the author of the immortal works actually existed. One of the suggested assumptions is that all the images of Shakespeare, imprinted on paper, are made with posthumous masks. As proof, the supporters of the theory refer to some lifelessness of his portraits.

There are other posthumous masks of great people, surrounded by fascinating secrets. An example is the cast from the face of Gogol, who went to another world in 1852. Legend has it that the classics were placed in the coffin alive while he was in a lethargic sleep, before creating a mask. The followers of the theory refer to the exhumation of the body, the results of which in 1931 confirmed the eerie version. Allegedly the skeleton was turned on its side, crooked. Those who do not believe in the theory insist that in the rumors the writer himself is guilty, during his life telling friends and relatives about the fear of being buried alive alive.

Snapshots of evidence

Posthumous masks of great people can be considered as a kind of clues devoting humanity to the circumstances of their death. It was such a detail that at one time became a mold from Yesenin's face, made on the second day after the genius's death. Study of the features of the poet, perpetuated with the help of a mask, gave grounds to assume that his death was violent. This refutes the verdict of forensic experts - suicide.

It is interesting that the legend received an official refutation, when in the 1990s the investigative bodies again returned to the mysterious case. After researching the evidence and conducting experiments, the suicide of the writer of beautiful poems was confirmed.

The works of Sergei Merkurov

The well-known sculptor created over 300 such products for his life, among his works there are posthumous masks of great people. The popularity of his Merkurov owes his most famous order. It was he who happened to perpetuate Lenin's face after his death. If you believe the legend, the man was invited to Gorki in the middle of the night, where Nadezhda Krupskaya was already at the head of the dead leader. It is believed that Lenin ordered Merkurov own bust, but he did not have time to make it.

Sergei also managed to create other posthumous masks of great representatives of the human race, including the writer Leo Tolstoy. It is interesting that it was then that the sculptor came up with the idea of making molds. According to people who saw the result of the work, the "portrait" turned out frighteningly "alive". When you look at it, you get the impression that your eyes are about to open, and your lips will open.

Disservice

Poet Mayakovsky, who, during his lifetime, earned the title of singer of the revolution, committed suicide in 1930, using a pistol. Merkurov was already a famous sculptor, whose fame was brought mainly by the death masks of great men. It is not surprising that it was his poet who in advance requested to make a cast from his own face.

Legend argues that this request was not quite ordinary. Mayakovsky wanted his mask not to resemble any earlier creation of Merkurov. In a way, the sculptor fulfilled his will. The writer's face turned out to be distorted, especially the twisted nose. This work is always mentioned among the worst works of Sergei Merkurov.

The mystery of Pushkin's face

It is known that Alexander Pushkin left this world after prolonged suffering. The wound obtained during the duel killed the poet for two days. Nevertheless, his posthumous mask does not reflect the torment of genius. On the contrary, it creates a sense of spirituality, indicates absolute tranquility. Contemporaries, who knew Pushkin during his lifetime, are surprised how accurately the product reproduces the features of his face.

It was possible to establish that a wonderful idea to keep such a mold was born in the head of Vasily Zhukovsky, who was with the poet in close friendly relations. She appeared when he saw how peaceful the face of a great man after death had become. The product, which was then repeatedly used to create busts and sculptures of the poet, was created by Samuel Galberg.

Why posthumous mask now, when relatives have numerous photos of the deceased person, video recordings with his participation? Each of us independently decides whether he needs such a cast or better remember the deceased alive.