Beyond Death - Death Masks: Historical Exhibition at Clock Museum Vienna

This exhibition explores the deep-rooted human desire to preserve the likeness of loved ones beyond death, a practice as old as image-making itself. It features over 300 death masks of famous personalities from the Wien Museum's collection, often first casts taken directly from the deceased.

The exhibition "Beyond Death - Death Masks" delves into the profound connection between imagery and mortality, a practice as ancient as art itself. It highlights the human impulse to maintain a 'living' presence of friends and family after their passing. A key prerequisite for creating such death portraits is the awareness of one's own transience. The Wien Museum's collection comprises over 300 death masks of renowned personalities, often these are first casts taken from the original mold immediately after the person's death. Through these masks, the deceased remain present in image and, consequently, in memory. The collection prominently features individual death masks, including those of Mayor Dr. Karl Lueger, poet Nikolaus Lenau, sculptor Viktor Tilgner, polar explorer Carl Weyprecht, Therese Bruckner, Nobel laureate Julius Wagner-Jauregg, composer Franz Lehár, writer Karl Kraus, Ernst Molden, writer Paula von Preradovic, and painter Josef Engelhart. Each mask represents a tangible link to a notable figure from history, offering a unique perspective on remembrance and the artistic capture of the final moments of life.

Information regarding ticketing and admission for this exhibition is not directly provided on this page. Visitors are directed to explore individual object details or the general museum website for admission policies.