Frédéric Chopin, composer. March 1, 1810 – October 17, 1849.
- - - -
this is not Chopin, he died a young man
posted by annieloe @ 11.26.2014 22:38
Member
Join Date: 11.25.2014 Comments: 1
- - - -
This is NOT Chopin. Full stop.
This is an image of a death mask in the Hunterian museum in Scotland. It was on their website mislabeled as Chopin for a brief period a few years ago. It has since been corrected. The correct identity of this mask is "William Cullen."
There are two authentic versions of Chopin's death mask. The first one shows an agonized face. This so upset Chopin's sister Ludwika that the sculpter, Clesinger, who had made the first mask worked with Chopin's face and managed to achieve a more natural, peaceful expression. He then recast the mask. This second version of the mask is the more reproduced of the two though both are easily recognized as Chopin
posted by njweeks @ 01.25.2014 03:59
Member
Join Date: 01.25.2014 Comments: 23
- - - -
I Agree - Not Chopin
When I first saw this I was thinking, I thought Chopin was really young when he died...this just can't be his face.
posted by SpookedinSeattle @ 09.02.2013 10:20
Member
Join Date: 09.01.2013 Comments: 1
- - - -
yikes
I have to agree with some of the other posters..this looks like an actual mummified head.
posted by robb257731 @ 11.27.2010 21:02
Member
Join Date: 11.15.2010 Comments: 46
- - - -
Not Chopin
This looks nothing like a death mask of Chopin. He was a young man when he died and he died from a lung ailment and he also had a full head of hair. This whatever it is, is not Chopin.
posted by Sharfire1955 @ 10.26.2010 21:05
Member
Join Date: 09.19.2006 Comments: 118
- - - -
Mummified
My professional opinion is this is not a cast mask but a mummified head.
posted by Spooky @ 09.20.2010 05:16
Member
Join Date: 12.12.2004 Comments: 20
- - - -
Hmm
William "Bill" Cullen . . . Wasn't he a game show host? Damn he looks bad.
posted by gobbledog @ 12.08.2009 02:24
Member
Join Date: 07.29.2007 Comments: 123
- - - -
There are 2 Names Associated with this bust
There is the exact same photograph elsewhere labeled as belonging to the head of "William Cullen".
Which is it?
posted by Maribel @ 07.24.2009 13:15
Member
Join Date: 03.22.2009 Comments: 3
- - - -
Could be the original
Yes - but that other mask could have been "corrected" by the maker to make Chopin look better. Or have been made sooner following death and therefore look better. I figure that most of us look pretty bad after the dying process at least untill we are made to "look pretty."
posted by dima @ 11.07.2008 22:55
Member
Join Date: 10.24.2008 Comments: 4
- - - -
Corrected link address
the address is www.classiccat.net/chopin_f/biography.htm
Sorry about that - wish I could simply cut & paste the link in but right click is disabled.
posted by halfmoon.annie @ 09.06.2008 20:52
Member
Join Date: 08.31.2008 Comments: 3
- - - -
Mislabeled Methinks
I truly believe that this photo is mislabeled - it cannot be Chopin's death mask. For one, this looks mummified, not a cast. Second, in researching, there are numerous images of the actual death mask of Chopin on display at the Polish Museum in Switzerland, as well as a cast of his hand. For close-up views go to www.classicat.net/chopin_f/biography.htm.
As you can see these images are two totally different pictures. I believe the one in this photo is an acutal mummified head - you can clearly see actual hair in the eyebrows. I believe further investigation into this one's true identity is required.
posted by halfmoon.annie @ 09.06.2008 20:43
Member
Join Date: 08.31.2008 Comments: 3
- - - -
REAL?
I too think, this is his real head........doesn't look like a death mask to me...........Thats sad......
posted by tangomoonie @ 08.18.2008 00:03
Member
Join Date: 01.02.2008 Comments: 33
- - - -
Yikes
Maybe it's his real head!
posted by Kooljanik @ 05.17.2008 06:51
Member
Join Date: 05.16.2008 Comments: 3
- - - -
it does look quite...decomposed
lol
posted by LadyDeath2 @ 01.22.2008 21:43
Member
Join Date: 05.11.2007 Comments: 57
- - - -
What happened??
Did they exhume him to take this desk mask??
@ 
