Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-10-07
THE DEATH-MASK.
How to Preserve an Exact Copy
OF Familiar Features.

features. The taking of this photo
graph of the dead is an interesting proc
eSS.
If it is decided to have death mask
made no time should be lost after the
decease. In the case of General Grant,
when it was we'll known that death
could not be STAYED off, arrangements
were made to have a sculptor in the
house of Mount McGregor SO that the
mask could be taken at once after he
expired. The programme was carried
out and the bust which resulted was
pronounced, even by the great generals
nearest relatives, the most perfect like
ness ever made of him.
A mask is always made when a bust
or medallion portrait is needed, as it
gives the exact proportions of the face,
reproducing the relative positions of
the bones, which, of course, do not
change in death.
The first thing to be done by sculp-
tor when taking a mask is to close the
eyes, and if possible, the mouth also.
Any little openings are filed with cot
ton, wool, soft rags, etc, and thus the
nose and ears and the mouth are gently
packed without in any way disturbing
the contour. The face and as much of
the head as it is necessary to take is
then covered with sweet oil or some
upguent laid on pretty thick, the object
being to prevent the plaster adhcring
to the skin or hair. The necessity of
this precaution is evident, especially
when it is remembered how shocking
any laceration of>the features would be
to the friends of the deceased, caused
as it might be by the forcible removal
OF plaster.
Down the center line of the face
strong silk thread is laid and then the
laying on of the plaster is commenced.
The white, fresh plaster is mixed in
bowl close at hand and is laid on the
face in thin layer, not more than
three-quarters of an inch thick. If it
were put on at once of the full thick
ness necessary to use the mask as a
mould the weight might press in the
face and distort the features. Just
before this thin layer has quite set the
silk cord is drawn up, dividing the
mask into two parts along the center
line of the face. Perhaps it may not be
evident why the mask should be made
in halves, but little consideration will
suggest the reason.
The width of the face behind the
check bones is less than across them,
and If the mask were removed whole 1t
would be at the risk of tearing the face
in passing over the cheek bones at the
points of articulation of the jaws. AS
soon as the thin layer has become suf-
ficiently firm carry additional
weight without pressing on the face
more plaster is put on until a thickness
of an inch to an inch and half has
been attained. The silken cord which
has been used to separate the first thin
layers is again brought into requisition,
or, rather, has never been removed
from its position along the center of
the face except to make the division.
Just before the entire cast sets this
cord is drawn up through the whole
thickness of plaster, and so the halves
of the cast are formed. 1t requires
about half an hour for the plaster to
set firmly enough to remove and then
the work is finished.
The cotton wool is removed from the
nose, ears and mouth, and the oil is
carefully wiped off, SO as to leave no
traces whatever of the work which has
been accomplished. 1t need hardly be
pointed out that the sculptor covers the
cillows, clothes, etc, with cloths to
prevent splashes of plaster or oil being
eft on them.
When the cast has been secured the
next operation is to make the mask
from it. This is done in the sculptor's
studio, and he usually let's the cast lie
for day or SO, until the plaster has be-
come quite hard and dry. Forming
bed Of fresh plaster, the sculptor inserts
ouc-half of the cast in it, the hollow or
impression side up; then the other half
is put in, bringing the sections severed
by the silken cord together. The out
side bed of plaster sets hard and the
cast is again an entirety. The interior
of the cast before making the mask is
thoroughly soaked in water and then it
is coated with n composition of soap,
oil and stearine, different sculptors