I found this in Readers Digest the other day. I hadn’t ever thought about mother’s being disguised in the pictures. I always thought it was amazing that the children sat still for the period of time it took to take the picture. I can barely catch my children smiling and standing still long enough with a digital camera. Now, I will have to go back through all my old photographs and see if there is anybody disguised. The photos I’ve recently reviewed do not have anybody.
I found some articles with more pictures of hidden mother’s. They are kind of scary and creepy and that doesn’t even include the one’s that are post mortem.
From Daily Mail:
Pretend your mother is NOT disguised as a chair, children: Extraordinary photos capture 19th century fad for draping mum in a sheet in family portraits ~ February 6, 2013
Family Tree Wanted 
How hilarious! This idea of a mother in disguise is entirely new to me. But I can see how this practice would evolve. I remember so much fuss made over our photographs as children–the setup seemed to take forever. Several of my pictures were taken in my mother’s lap — the mother came out of hiding.