Post-mortemportret van vermoedelijk Mary Wheeler 1840 - 1860

This anonymous daguerreotype, created between 1840 and 1860, is a post-mortem portrait of Mary Wheeler. The image depicts a woman lying in repose, covered with a patterned blanket. The daguerreotype, a revolutionary photographic process, captured the deceased's likeness in a poignant manner. These images served as a way for families to memorialize their loved ones during the era, showcasing the developing art of photography and the changing cultural practices around death and remembrance.