In days of old, before photography, how would one keep an image of the dead? One could create a portrait in oil on canvas. Let's face it, the subject would surely stay still for the artist. But in the time it would take, the subject just might begin to go sour, if you know what I mean. Hence, plaster!

Back when the camera was not even an idea yet, the thought of preserving the likeness of a dead historical figure was not an easy process. But they figured that a plaster mold could be done of the person's face, then an image could be made and their likeness would be preserved forever. Not a bad idea, huh

This process has been used in many countries for well over three hundred years. Even long after the invention of the camera. The "death mask" has been a way to keep an exact copy of a person's face. The process has been used on all sorts of historical figures from the Roman Empire to the Civil War and up through the gangster period and beyond.

All of the person's facial lines, moles and potmarks are right there for all to see. Even gunshot wounds such as on the face of gangland thug, John Herbert Dillinger. It's too bad that this process was not popular during the days of the old west. It would be really cool to see Wyatt Earp, Jesse James and Billy the Kid up close. But it is possible to see people like Benjamin Franklin, Dante, Robert E. Lee, etc.

This blog showcases a handful of the death masks that had been created and preserved over the centuries. Check them out and see that our historical figures were not really bigger than life. They were just like us...potmarks and all.