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30 Photos Of Fascinating Photographs I Found On Old Tombstones In Italian Cemeteries
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.
More info: Instagram
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#1
Final score:
94points
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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#3
Final score:
69points
Enuya 6 years ago
Most likely because of some disease. Early 1900 were times of many plagues (like epidemic of cholera or spanish flu) which today would not necessarily end with so many deaths but at these times people did not have so many effective meds...
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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.
#4
Final score:
69points
#5
Final score:
69points
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).
#6
Final score:
68points
Enuya 6 years ago
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.
Bexxxxx 3 years ago
It’s so sweet when you see couples who have made it work and stayed together :) a life partner relationship is a lot of work from both partners, it’s not just frivolous emotions at that point, so it’s so cool when you see couples absolutely in love and in sync decades later. Contrary to popular belief, we are not each entitled to a soul mate, and I think it’s kinda special and rare when you find the couple who perfectly compliment each other :)
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#7
Final score:
63points
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.
#8
Final score:
57points
Troy Currie 3 years ago
Pretty and sensible judging from her not so perfect hair. Probably a working woman or mother with more than a few kids as was the way back then.
#9
Final score:
52points
Catie Marie 3 years ago
A lot of soldiers in the American civil war were around 14. Im sure every one of them thought they'd be the one to come home.
Charlie Taube 3 years ago
He probably volunteered he probably got caught in ideological fervor and blind patriotism.
#10
Final score:
52points
Alma Muminovic 3 years ago
I was gonna say Dean Winchester from Supernatural.
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#11
Final score:
49points
John Sampson 6 years ago
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!
DemPugs 6 years ago
Sometimes war is the only option. It can't just be simply outlawed either.
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#12
Final score:
49points
Troy Currie 3 years ago (edited)
Who's was in who's depended on who could walk better that particular day...
Load More Replies... Karen Clark 3 years ago
These two were happy people. Their faces and body language radiate a quiet contentment.
#13
Final score:
48points
Troy Currie 3 years ago (edited)
Looks like the picture has been updated, maybe more than once. The stone is crumbling from age and is slightly ajar...or they couldn't afford a nice headstone to start with
#14
Final score:
48points
Enuya 6 years ago
I like the rose on this photo. It is details such as this that create the atmosphere of the whole picture.
#15
Final score:
45points
#16
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45points
#17
Final score:
42points
#18
Final score:
40points
Vicki Meola 6 years ago
This could be the same fella in different stages of his life. Its hard to pick just one.
ispeak catanese 3 years ago
Different hairlines and mouths make me think they're brothers
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#19
Final score:
39points
#20
Final score:
39points
Agnes Jekyll 6 years ago
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?
Aunt Messy 6 years ago
She's probably the third or fourth wife.Women died in childbirth, and men would remarry multiple times.
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#21
Final score:
38points
#22
Final score:
38points
Agnes Jekyll 6 years ago
she looks like she's on her way to a bohemian cafe in naples or maybe montmarytre
#23
Final score:
37points
#24
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36points
#25
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36points
#26
Final score:
36points
Vicki Meola 6 years ago
Wow...could this be Johnny Cash's Great-Grandmother? Sje looks like she could have been a tiny Italian lady like my sweet Grandma Meola...she was 4'11" of total sweetness! <3
#27
Final score:
34points
#28
Final score:
30points
Troy Currie 3 years ago
Others in this gallery have been redone throughout the years...maybe one day so will this one.
Load More Replies... #29
Final score:
30points
Grace Robertson 6 years ago
Maybe or maybe not. I can see her as a caring grandmother.
Load More Replies... #30
Final score:
28points
Enuya 6 years ago
Is he angry? Looks like he had rather unpleasant day. A very good-looking older man, by the way.
#31
Final score:
18points
#32
Final score:
14points
#33
Final score:
13points
#34
Final score:
12points
#36
Final score:
7points
#37
Final score:
7points
#38
Final score:
7points
Christina Marie 3 years ago
Such a foreground, timelessly classic woman! I wonder what her story is 🧠 💭.
#40
Final score:
6points
#41
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6points
#43
Final score:
6points
Christina Marie 3 years ago
That pose and hair 👏! I would love to re create this look in homage.
#44
Final score:
6points
#46
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6points
#47
Final score:
5points
#48
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5points
#49
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5points
#51
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5points
#52
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#53
Final score:
4points
#54
Final score:
4points
Kimberly Kuhlman, M.Photog.Cr 3 years ago
You should really look at creating an NFT Collection with this work. I love it!
#55
Final score:
4points
#56
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4points
#57
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#58
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#59
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Christine M Quigley 6 years ago
I grew up from Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn. There were many headstones that included these beautiful, framed photos. Since there was no 'park' close by, the cemetery became our park. It was very well kept, there were even security guards patrolling to cut down on vandalism.
diane a 6 years ago (edited)
Unfortunately back then, due to childhood diseases and pre-antibiotics, it was expected that a fairly high percentage of children would not survive to adulthood. child mortality pre 1900 was close to 1 in 5 in much of Europe.
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Palo Sulek 3 years ago
I think not many persons at those times died shortly after their photos were taken BC I guess photography was quite rare so they just found the most recent one. However they were often dying young no argue ab that
Johanna-Nicollette Kidd 6 years ago
Cemeteries are hystorical+can be so interesting! These were fabulous
Paula Hannon 6 years ago
It's a good way to be remembered, right now people from all over the world are seeing their faces on the internet. Maybe we should bring back this practice.
Agnes Jekyll 3 years ago
I agree. You can do that now, virtually, on Find a Grave (upload a photo of your loved one, that is)
Load More Replies... Christine M Quigley 6 years ago
I grew up from Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn. There were many headstones that included these beautiful, framed photos. Since there was no 'park' close by, the cemetery became our park. It was very well kept, there were even security guards patrolling to cut down on vandalism.
diane a 6 years ago (edited)
Unfortunately back then, due to childhood diseases and pre-antibiotics, it was expected that a fairly high percentage of children would not survive to adulthood. child mortality pre 1900 was close to 1 in 5 in much of Europe.
Load More Replies... Palo Sulek 3 years ago
I think not many persons at those times died shortly after their photos were taken BC I guess photography was quite rare so they just found the most recent one. However they were often dying young no argue ab that
Johanna-Nicollette Kidd 6 years ago
Cemeteries are hystorical+can be so interesting! These were fabulous
Paula Hannon 6 years ago
It's a good way to be remembered, right now people from all over the world are seeing their faces on the internet. Maybe we should bring back this practice.
Agnes Jekyll 3 years ago
I agree. You can do that now, virtually, on Find a Grave (upload a photo of your loved one, that is)
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