Smithsonian Magazine · People & society

Morbid Anatomy Library Displays Victorian Hair Art

The Morbid Anatomy Library in Brooklyn is now exhibiting approximately 50 artworks created from human hair, showcasing 19th-century grieving practices.

These "hairworks" feature preserved hair woven into objects like butterflies, crowns, and flowers, often incorporated into mementos such as lockets and shadowboxes, sometimes with accompanying items like religious images or notes.

This practice was influenced by Queen Victoria's popularization of mourning attire and rituals after Prince Albert's death in 1861, establishing specific mourning periods.

The collection preserves the legacy of Leila's Hair Museum in Missouri, which housed over 3,000 hairworks before closing last fall.

Items from Leila's Hair Museum have been donated to major institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

The arrival of the artifacts in New York was marked by a ceremony focused on memory, grief, and the desire to keep the deceased close.

Museumgoers may experience a sense of connection to the deceased as their own reflections appear alongside the hair artifacts.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.