Victorian Deathbed Scenes
Dear C19th Novels,
I’m having technical issues getting those deathbed scenes on here for you all. For now, you can google-image the following — they’re not difficult to find on the Net [4/12 2:30pm, posted them now! ed]:
George Cattermole, ‘Death of Little Nell’ (1841)
Henry Peach Robinson, ‘Fading Away’ (1858)
Luke Fildes, ‘The Doctor’ (1891) (although I reckon this child is recovering — dawn has broken).
I’m ‘collecting’ deathbed scenes in Victorian culture: we talked about the 7 or so such scenes in *Mary Barton* last week, and there are numerous in Dickens of course; any more suggestions gratefully received.
Sally
The Royal Holloway Victorian MA Blog 
rhulvictorian said,
December 4, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I’m not as sanguine as you, Sally, about the fate of Fildes’ child. The lady at the table looks pretty despondent; and the washing (is it?) hanging in the top left hand corner looks like a spectral, Death-style presence in the room, with arms open wide to receive the kid’s soul. Plus there’s something scythe-like (as in, Death’s scythe) about the dark wooden upright and the curving ceiling beams.
I find the Robinson a little hard to take seriously.
Adam R
Anna said,
December 28, 2008 at 7:03 pm
What about The Death of Chatterton by Henry Wallis?
http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/wallis/paintings/1.html
Anna