A Deep Dive into the Strange and Touching Victorian-Era Mourning Traditions

"This commenter is responding to two V&A curators unboxing a collection of 19th-century objects common in Victorian mourning traditions. Through a variety of garments, ephemera, and photos, the pair showcases the elaborate rituals and rites people once used to honor the dead. The video highlights a black, silk gown with tiny pleats, delicate lace, and sequins, along with jewelry made from semi-precious jet stones, and brooches containing human hair. The curators also present several printed artifacts, like mourning cards and portraits of the dying."

"What becomes clear throughout the video is how much our contemporary culture of grief and loss has turned inward and is something managed privately rather than shared with a community. "Mourning objects can be personal, portable, ostentatious, sentimental, or even a little bit grizzly," the curators add. "Is it too much? Or do you think we should mourn the passing of these poignant and fascinating trappings of grief?""

Two V&A curators unbox a collection of 19th-century mourning objects that reveal elaborate Victorian rituals for honoring the dead. Items include a black silk gown with tiny pleats, delicate lace and sequins, jewelry made from semi-precious jet stones, brooches containing human hair, mourning cards, and portraits of the dying. The presentation emphasizes the public and communal nature of historical grief practices. Contemporary grief culture appears sanitized and private, often managed away from community displays. The curators ask whether the ornate trappings of mourning should be mourned themselves or considered for revival.

Read at Colossal