[Death Mask of William Shakespeare]

The tradition of the death mask, a wax or plaster cast of a person’s face made shortly after their death, can be traced back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Serving as mementos of the dead, they stand in for the subject, allowing viewers to trace the features of the beloved or admired individual. Often used as the model for later painted and sculpted portraits, they become the basis of our collective visualization of celebrated artists and statesmen.

The mask in this photograph, known as the Kesselstadt death mask, was discovered in 1849. Because of its resemblance to his funerary monument in Stratford-upon-Avon, it was thought to be the death mask of William Shakespeare, generating a great deal of excitement when it was made public. By the time this photograph was made, some 15 years later, the mask’s identification had come into question, as others believed it to represent the face of poet Ben Johnson. Despite the debate, public excitement demanded greater circulation of the mask, and photographs such as this one allowed people to revere what they felt to be the true likeness of the bard.