Death masks are plastic or wax casts of a person’s face following their death. This is achieved by taking a direct cast of their face once they have died. The masks usually serve as a memento for the surviving loved ones, or to help create a portrait of the person, though the reasons vary by culture.
While the practice of making death masks may seem ancient, it’s actually still practiced in certain cultures to this day. In fact, many of history’s most prominent and memorable figures have had them made.
Below are 14 death masks of historical figures.
Source: acidcow
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