Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Mourning and Funerary Artifact Exhibition, Slifer House, Lewisburg PA








When visiting my sister in Lewisburg, PA a few weeks ago, we visited an exhibition entitled "Gone, But Not Forgotten: Death & Mourning in Victorian America"--an assemblage of mourning and funerary artifacts drawn from the collection of Galen Betzer, proprietor of Galen R. Betzer Funeral Services, being held at the Slifer Historic House Museum.

The exhibition seeks to explore the customs surrounding death and mourning in the 19th Century; the historical house is draped in black crepe, as if a cherished family member (in this case, family patriarch Eli Slifer) had just died, and each room in the 19th Century mansion features other evidence of mourning, each one painstakingly pointed out and explained by the tour guide.

The exhibit culminates in a small room packed full of mourning and funerary artifacts drawn from Galen's vast and broad collection. This room is filled with an entrancing breadth and magnitude of artifacts such as hair art, mourning stationary, "tear catchers," funeral souvenirs, memorial photographs, a variety of goreyesque hearse designs (see above), hair and other memorial jewelry, coffin plates, mourning clothing, and antique funerary trade literature and promotional materials. The Centerpiece is a small child's coffin, and an elaborate children's hearse dominates the front porch of the house.

All photos above from the exhibition; see the complete set of photographs here. You can find out more information about the exhibition and related events and lectures here. For more information on artworks related to mourning, check out Curious Expedition's recent post The Art of Mourning.

4 comments:

asfjh said...

i love the hair jewelry. i wonder what my friends would think if i made them intricate jewelry or hats of my own hair for christmas. they know me too well to be surprised, though, i need more new friends.

Director said...

This a wonderful wonderful blog/collection. Fantastic collection of exhibits in your very own theatre of the macabre and morbid. Where can I find out more about your exhibition?

Anonymous said...

great photos! the artifact exhibition looks really great, is it always open? I will be in Lewisburg PA in a month or two. It would be great if i could see this for myself.

Thanks in advance,
Cheers,
Anne

JE said...

Hi Director

Sorry to be so long in getting back. You can find out more about my exhibition at http://www.astropop.com/anatomical/. And Anne--I am not sure how much longer the Lewisburg exhibit will be up. Their website should have more information?

Best,
Joanna