PRINTS
between 1900 and 1902
In Great Britain it was traditional for the deceased to be dressed in “grave clothes” which were all white. This was to represent the person’s purity and innocence. It is for this same reason that white lilies were a common choice of flower at funerals. They would be placed on top on the coffin of the deceased by family and friends in the hopes that they would bring some peace to the person. (pg. 90)
It is also not unlikely that White Ladies are often described as wearing white gowns because of the timing of many of their deaths. Many of these White Ladies were killed or died tragically right before or after their wedding day. It is possible that their ghosts are seen wearing long white gowns because young brides who met an untimely demise were often buried in their wedding dresses. (pg. 91)
That being said, it seems as though the White Ladies in Great Britain are seen wearing the clothes that they were buried in. The white also seems to be significant due to its reputation as being the color of purity and innocence. (Folklore, Myths, and Legends of Britain, 1973)F
Japanese tradition
Sasaki Bizan
Wearing a White Kimono is traditional for special occasions like weddings, or the purification ceremony in Buddhism and Shintoism.
In Japan, white kimono (Japanese Traditional Costume) are also worn for special occasions, such as funerals, or when a baby is born. The first kimono for a baby would be white, and Wedding Kimonos are also white. White kimono are seen in religious practices, and those factors mean that wearing the color white means that it is a special occasion for this person. Normal kimono for daily life have many variations, so wearing a white kimono is considered “special,” and if someone appears in it, people will question why they are dressed in white. The female ghosts who dressed in white would have been buried wearing white kimono, as this is the religious tradition for Japan when one passes away.
Bibliography
Folklore, Myths, and Legends of Britain. The Reader’s Digest Association Limited, 1973
Image Bibliography
Maurice Prendergast (American, 1858-1924). between 1900 and 1902. Woman in White Muslin Dress. PRINTS. Place: Terra Foundation for American Art, Daniel J. Terra Collection. https://library-artstor-org.ezproxy.guilford.edu/asset/TERRA_DB_103997181.
Sasaki Bizan. Meiji period, late 19th-early 20th Century. Female Ghost. Paintings. Place: University of Florida: Harn Museum of Art, Museum purchase, funds provided by the Kathleen M. Axline Acquisition Endowment. https://library-artstor-org.ezproxy.guilford.edu/asset/AHARNIG_10313996772.
Page written and created by Nozomi K., Branwyn M., and Sophie P.
