Hair of Ludwig van Beethoven, set in a glass medallion

At the end of the 18th century, a cult surrounding artists emerged that adopted religious patterns. Particularly in focus: the composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827). Not only manuscripts, but also his hair was collected. It was preserved as "precious relics," as evidenced by the letter from Count Topor von Morawitzky.

In the process of acquiring his hair, not even the deathbed was spared. In the days leading up to the funeral, visitors cut off the deceased’s hair, leaving the musician reportedly bald by the day of the burial.

Hair has long played a significant role in the culture of mementos. It is used to create tokens of friendship as well as mourning jewelry. Like Christian relics, a lock of hair represents the person as a whole; through it, the wearer is directly connected to the individual from whom the hair originated.