I can't sleep, as usual, and it occurred to me that I am closer to death now than I have ever been...an obvious statement. But it inspired me to look into death masks. I came across one of particular interest. It was called L'Inconnue de la Seine, or the Unknown Woman of the Seine.
Her body was found in the river Seine at the Quai de Louvre in Paris. Her body exhibited no signs of violence, it had been suggested cause of death was suicide. According to the story, the pathologist at the morgue thought the woman to be so beautiful that he decided to take a plaster caste of her face. The plaster mould of the woman later became a popular fixture in "Bohemian" homes, although it's not clear how this transition occurred. But according to some her face inspired writers and actresses for years to come. Alvarez in his book on suicide titled, 'The Savage God', wrote "I am told a whole generation of German girls modeled their looks on her.".
Amazing.
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