These haunting images were not seen as macabre then; they were treasured keepsakes often displayed alongside festive holiday cards in family albums. Festive & Rocker Style: Modern Staged Photos
Subjects were dressed in their finest Sunday clothes, and photographers sometimes even painted eyes onto closed eyelids to make the subject appear "alive" for the camera.
Modern photographers often recreate the "Sears-style" family portraits of the past, dressing well-known "rocker" or cinematic characters—like the cast of Die Hard or The Griswolds —in festive finest for a retro holiday feel.
Photographers used hidden stands or props like books to pose the deceased as if they were in a deep, peaceful sleep—a concept often called "eternal sleep".
In the 19th century, photography was a rare luxury often reserved for a person's final "fancy" appearance. Because many people, especially children, were never photographed while alive, families would commission a "morbid" yet cherished portrait after their death.