Life Mask Facial Reconstructions of History

Life Mask Facial Reconstructions of History

Life Masks

Before photography, life masks gave us the perfect likeness of early Americans. Plaster was applied to the head and sometimes upper torso to create a mold to cast a person’s life mask. Using life masks, I was able to complete a forensic/academic study of how the subjects most likely appeared using Adobe Photoshop to add flesh, hair, and other details.

This page features the life mask reconstructions of the faces cast in plaster by John Henri Isaac Browere (1790—1834) and Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828)

See these early Americans and other historical figures come to life. Each post features a reconstruction of a life mask along with a little history to boot.

The Life Mask Face of James Madison – A Photoshop ReconstructionThe Life Mask Face of James Madison – A Photoshop Reconstruction
The Life Mask Face of Thomas Jefferson – A Photoshop ReconstructionThe Life Mask Face of Thomas Jefferson – A Photoshop Reconstruction
Did J. I. Browere Almost Suffocate Thomas Jefferson?Did J. I. Browere Almost Suffocate Thomas Jefferson?
The Life Mask Face of James Madison – A Photoshop Reconstruction Part IIThe Life Mask Face of James Madison – A Photoshop Reconstruction Part II
The Life Mask Face of John Quincy Adams – A Photoshop ReconstructionThe Life Mask Face of John Quincy Adams – A Photoshop Reconstruction
The Life Mask Face of John Adams – A Photoshop ReconstructionThe Life Mask Face of John Adams – A Photoshop Reconstruction
The Life Mask Face of John Quincy Adams – A Photoshop Reconstruction Part IIThe Life Mask Face of John Quincy Adams – A Photoshop Reconstruction Part II
The Life Mask Face of Marquis de Lafayette – A Photoshop Reconstruction Part IThe Life Mask Face of Marquis de Lafayette – A Photoshop Reconstruction Part I
The Life Mask Face of Marquis de Lafayette – A Photoshop Reconstruction Part IIThe Life Mask Face of Marquis de Lafayette – A Photoshop Reconstruction Part II
The Life Mask Face of Dolley Madison – A Photoshop ReconstructionThe Life Mask Face of Dolley Madison – A Photoshop Reconstruction
The Life Mask Face of George Washington – A Photoshop ReconstructionThe Life Mask Face of George Washington – A Photoshop Reconstruction
The Life Mask Face of Voltaire – A Photoshop ReconstructionThe Life Mask Face of Voltaire – A Photoshop Reconstruction
The Face of Benjamin Franklin – A Photoshop ReconstructionThe Face of Benjamin Franklin – A Photoshop Reconstruction
What Did The Founding Fathers Look Like? – James MadisonWhat Did The Founding Fathers Look Like? – James Madison

Busts and Statues

Unlike life masks, busts and statues may not be an exact likeness of the subject.

The Face of Bernardo de Gálvez – A Photoshop ReconstructionThe Face of Bernardo de Gálvez – A Photoshop Reconstruction
The Face of Thomas Day – A Photoshop ReconstructionThe Face of Thomas Day – A Photoshop Reconstruction

Lost Photographs of History

Compositions using life masks.

Lost Photographs of HistoryLost Photographs of History