[Postmortem Portrait of a Baby]

From the Getty Museum record

Posed as if sleeping peacefully, this baby holds a tiny sprig of flowers. Sensitively photographed images of their deceased loved ones helped families preserve their memories in a vivid but discreet way. "Secure the Shadow 'ere the Substance Fade," a popular advertising slogan, reminded customers that a daguerreotype portrait would last forever. The large number of postmortem portraits of children gives the slogan special poignancy, a sad reminder of the high mortality rates in the 1800s, particularly for children.