Death Masks of the Famous and Infamous

Death masks are plastic or wax casts that are molded from someone’s face after they have just died. While they are designed to be mementos of the dead, now, death masks give us incredible insight into the past and the ability to see what some of history’s most famous figures actually looked like.

There have been death masks made of many different individuals, some whom history has labeled as heroes and others who have been considered evil. From Ludwig Van Beethoven to Heinrich Himmler of the Nazi Party, here’s a list of some of the most famous death masks, and the stories behind them.

Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)

Photo Credits: Abroadintheyard

Robert E. Lee was commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Lee was in command from 1862 until his surrender at Appomattox Courthouse in 1865. He was the son of the Revolutionary War Officer Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee III and was a top graduate of the United States Military Academy who was known to be an exceptional officer and military engineer for over 32 years. He died in 1870 at the age of 73 are catching pneumonia following a stroke. Even more than 150 years after his death, he is still romanticized as a leader of the white supremacy movement in the South.