I’ve never been big on decorating my home for Halloween. The idea has just never sparked joy for me. I’d usually much rather lean into Thanksgiving and general fall vibes for my seasonal decor this time of year. However, I decided to challenge myself to see if I could come up with Halloween decor that better fit my personal style and aesthetic. Something with a bit of vintage elegance to it.
Which is when the idea for a Memento Mori themed Halloween display first popped into my head.
To make my challenge even harder, I decided to use only things I already owned and had lying around the house to bring my vision to life.
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What Is Memento Mori?
Memento Mori is a latin phrase dating back to classical antiquity that roughly translates as “remember (that you have) to die”.
Out of context that may sound a bit grim. But the phrase was more of a symbolic or artistic concept that acted as a reminder of the inevitability of death and for individuals to stop and examine how they are using their short time on this planet.
It’s a concept you see used again and again throughout history from the philosophers of classical antiquity to early christian theology and has appeared in art and architecture from the medieval period onwards.
In Victorian England, this concept took a rather strange turn with the invention of photography.
As a way of commemorating the dead and softening their grief (epidemics were extremely rampant at the time) memento mori photography or “death portraiture” became incredibly popular. As in portraits taken of individuals after they had passed, often posed alongside living family members. (I won’t include photo examples here since these images aren’t for everyone, but if you’re curious you can see examples and get more info on the practice here. CW: Child Death)
This may seem distasteful or creepy to us now, but photography was still very new at the time and these were often the only photos ever taken of a person during their lifetime. As such, they were very dear to bereaved family members who wanted to keep their loved ones memory alive.
How Did I Turn Memento Mori Into Elegant Halloween Decor?
You may be thinking, “this took a really bizarre turn Kadie”. And you’re right it’s a bit weird, but hang with me.
At its core, memento mori is a celebration of life and ensuring we are truly living life each and every day to its fullest and remembering those we have loved and lost. I can’t think of a concept more elegantly beautiful than that.
To that end, I took my decor inspiration cues from Victorian England and decided to craft my own memento mori vignette from old family photographs. (Don’t worry, no death portraiture to see here)
In order to up the Halloween vibes a bit, I also leaned into Victorian mourning traditions, which often included draping massive swaths of black fabric over doorways and windows. (Mirrors were often covered entirely for superstitious reason.)
I then filled in the rest of the space with battery powered candles, old books, and some old photography equipment I’ve collected over the years to give a nod to the death portraiture studios that operated during the time.
Supplies Needed To Recreate My Memento Mori Elegant Halloween Decor In Your Own Home
I simply used things I already had lying around my house, but I’ll link to anything I can here if you’re interested in recreating this look for your own home!
- A large amount of black fabric for draping (You’ll want *at least* 4 or 5 yards)
- Vintage looking picture frames to place your photos into
- Battery powered candle sticks (These ones are my favorite!)
- Old Books
- Old Photographic Equipment
- A Collection of Old Black and White Photographs
Free Old Public Domain Portrait Photographs
For my display, I used old photos I had on hand of my own family members. But if you don’t have anything like that, there are tons of old photos in the public domain you can download and print for free. Here’s a quick round-up of just a few I thought would work great for this. From the more elegant to a few more eerie images as well for those who want to up the Halloween vibes.
(NOTE: I promise I double checked and there are no actual deceased people in any of these photos – a sentence I never thought I’d be writing on this blog. There are some photos below that give off that vibe but are just models pretending. All humans pictured were alive at the time of the image being taken.)
Caroline Peart
“Self Portrait”
Frederick Gutekunst
“Lucretia Mott”
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Thomas M. Easterly
“Monument to “Our Seddie””
Félix Nadar
“Selika Laszewski”
Félix Nadar
“Max d’Ollone”
Bennet
“Boy and Girl Holding Hands”
Louis-Pierre-Théophile Dubois de Nehaut
“Brussels Zoological Garden; The three twin sons of Mr. Lebens and the whole family”
Pierre-Louis Pierson
“Scherzo di Follia”
Unknown
“Portrait of an unidentified man wearing a top hat”
Henry Peach Robinson
“She Never Told Her Love”
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Southworth and Hawes
“Mrs. James Thomas Fields (Annie Adams)”
Mathew Benjamin Brady
“Portrait of a Man”
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Thomas M. Easterly
“Bob Wilkinson, Barber of the Southern Hotel”
Pierre-Louis Pierson
“La Comtesse”
John C. Higgins
“Man in Bottle”
Whipple & Black
“Nathaniel Hawthorne”
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Jean-Gabriel Eynard
“Group portrait of twelve members of the Circle of Eynard-Lullin outside in front of his home at Beaulieu”
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Unknown
“Studio portrait of a boy standing by a rocking-horse”
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Unknown
“Ida B. Wells-Barnett with her children Charles, Herman, Ida, and Alfreda”
Pierre-Louis Pierson
“Countess de Castiglione, from Série des Roses”
Thomas M. Easterly
“Portrait of Mrs. Downing and Mrs. John F. Altemus.”
Pierre-Louis Pierson
“La Comtesse Reclining in Dark Dress with Chain Around Neck”
Mathew Brady
“Amos Kendall”
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Unknown
“Spirit photograph of a woman with a hand on her face with an image of a man in the background”
Shop The Look
I shopped my house for the look I created, but here’s how I’d recreate my design with things you can purchase new right now!
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