Photography was quickly adapted to the social rituals and customs of nineteenth century America, and among these institutions was the memorial portrait. until the advent of photography, this portrait was a painting and was primarily an upper-class phenomenon. With the widespread use of the camera, nearly everyone could afford a post-mortem portrait, and for the next half-century these portraits were a mainstay of American's commercial photographers.

twelvetrees press
november 1990
9 x 12 inches
76 color plates
140 pages