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I'm a 36-year-old Italian who is fascinated by the past and by many things that are death-related. That is probably because I lost my parents at a young age and I was forced to deal with mortality, loss, and mourning.

I created an Instagram account to collect pictures of the photos on old tombstones, mostly found in Italian cemeteries. I love cemeteries, and the different conceptions people have about them around the world, and also the differences in the way they are (e.g. in Italy, all tombs have photographs while in other countries they are not used at all). I really like funerary art, cemeteries' artistic value, beautiful statues and also inscriptions on old tombstones, the type of language and symbolism, and also I am fascinated by post-mortem photographs.

I also love old photographs from the 1800s and early 1900s that depict the first attempts in portrait photography. They are historical and fascinating. Sometimes it's also possible to find post-mortem photos (photographs of the recently deceased) as it was an acceptable memorial practice in the 19th century. 

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While I was visiting cemeteries, other than taking pictures of the tombs and monuments (which a lot of people do), I started to look closer and focus on the faces that I found interesting. I opened an Instagram account mainly to not bother my friends following my personal profile with too much of this kind of content. I decided to make this account a repository of my collection. The name of the page (My forgotten faces) comes from the fact that a lot of times these kinds of photos I look for on tombs are so old that no one takes care of them anymore.

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Enuya
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She looks a bit like Polish great actress, Krystyna Feldman. The same spark of life in her eyes :)

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I love to see the different fashions in clothes and hair, but also the facial expressions, pose, and if there is a little bit of information on the person. Another thing I love is the names. Here in Italy, I find a lot of old names that are not used anymore and are very interesting and sometimes even weird.

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I don't know the stories of these people. I only look for what's on the tombstone inscriptions. I always try to be very discreet when taking pictures, cause I think a lot of people visiting cemeteries might find it offensive, even though I specifically look for very old tombs that most of the time are forgotten (hence the name of the account).

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Enuya
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For me, there is something reassuring in long term marriages and old couples. It helps to believe we can truly be loved until the end of our days.

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Enuya
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She has a look, as if she just saw the seventh circle of hell. Creepy.

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By taking and sharing these photos, I give these people a chance to be seen again by someone, after so many years of being there, sometimes forgotten even by their own family. Not a lot of us deeply know about such old relatives (which I think is unfortunately natural and normal). Maybe their family line has ended years ago, and there is really no one here to remember them anyway.

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Enuya
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's heartbreaking, to look at someone so young and know they were at the war. It just is not right!

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John Sampson
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

War should be outlawed. Can you imagine intentionally sending young men into a situation where lethal weapons will be pointed at them and fired? There is nothing civilized about war!

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Enuya
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like the rose on this photo. It is details such as this that create the atmosphere of the whole picture.

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Vicki Meola
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This could be the same fella in different stages of his life. Its hard to pick just one.

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Enuya
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This woman has very interesting face. It is not typical beauty but it catches the eye. I like her eyes on this photo. They look both melancholic and wise at the same time.

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Agnes Jekyll
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Does this mean she died young while he lived on without her? or is this a photo of her when she was young, or is this a daughter?

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Elly Neil
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“We’re going to put this on your grave.” “Bob, do not put this on my grave!”

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Enuya
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She has so delicate facial features and lovely eyes. Exceptional.

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Enuya
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is he angry? Looks like he had rather unpleasant day. A very good-looking older man, by the way.

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Note: this post originally had 60 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.