Secure the shadow : death and photography in America / Jay Ruby

Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, 1995. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine cloth title-blocked copy in an equally fine dust-wrapper, now mylar-sleeved. Particularly well-preserved overall; tight, bright, clean and strong. Physical description : x, 220 pages : illustrations ; 27 cm. Notes : Includes bibliographical references (pages 199-203) and index. Contents : Introduction: Seeing Death. A Reflexive Interlude. A Social Approach to Photography. Looking at Death. I Heard the News Today, Oh Boy -- 1. Precursors: Mortuary and Posthumous Paintings. Mortuary Portraits. Posthumous Mourning Paintings -- 2. One Last Image: Postmortem and Funeral Photography. False Conceptions and Misperceptions. The Openness of the Nineteenth Century. Styles of Photographically Representing the Dead. Babies, Pets, and Loss. Family Funeral Photographs and Narrative Scenes of Grief. Mourning Portraits and Jewelry -- 3. Memorial Photography. Public Memorial Representations. Memorial Photographs. Memorial and Funeral Cards. Floral & Memorial Photographs. Illustrated Tombstones -- 4. Conclusion: A Social Analysis of Death-Related Photographs. Uses of Death-Related Photography. Distribution and Frequency of Occurrence. Motivation.Subjects : Postmortem photography United States History 19th century.Postmortem photography United States History 20th century. Death. Photography history. Funeral Rites history. Medicine in the Arts. Other titles : Death and photography in America.