D eath masks — made out of a wax or plaster cast put on a dead person's face — have long been part of human history. Below, morgue workers make a death mask of notorious Depression-era ...

Gen. Robert E. Lee Death mask of Robert E. Lee, plaster mold of Lee's face when he died by Clark Mills (American, 1810-1883), ... His tomb recalls a more ancient practice of memorializing the dead.

Most death masks are cast as soon as possible, before decay distorts features and makes applying plaster a slippery proposition. Henry IV, on the other hand, had been dead for nearly 200 years ...

Back on the island of Saint Helena, the two doctors still needed to make Napoleon's death mask – and they still couldn't find any fresh plaster. But the pair had a couple of backup ideas.

Artisan William Luna creates a mask as Bolivia celebrates the Day of the Dead with tantawawa bread adorned with plaster masks of loved ones’ faces in La Paz, Bolivia, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024.

Artisan William Luna places a plaster mask at a tantawawa bread for the Mendoza family as Bolivia celebrates the Day of the Dead bread adorned with masks of loved ones in La Paz, Bolivia, Thursday ...

‘FOOD WAITING FOR SOULS’ Artist William Luna places a plaster mask at a “tantawawa” bread for the Mendoza family (left), as Bolivia celebrates the Day of the Dead on Thursday.