Draperies, with their fancy frills and tassels, are more elaborate than a simple shroud. They allow the expression of mourning to remain long after the body has been taken out the front door and may then be used for the next death in the family.
Incredibly common in Victorian cemeteries, the draped urn is a visual of the separation between the living and the dead, and a protective shroud for the soul, as well as a classically-inspired symbol of death.