Documenting Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires since 2007
Category: Art + Architecture
The wealthy & prolific Bunge family have several vaults scattered around the cemetery. Finding where each family member is buried can be a challenge. Two plaques on this tomb are dedicated to Carlos Octavio Bunge, one of Argentina’s most recognized sociologists. He applied Darwin’s theory of evolution to Latin American societies & their struggles with modernization. Carlos passed away in 1918. A single plaque pays homage to another important family member also buried here:
Born in San Isidro, Jorge Bunge completed art & architecture studies in Germany thanks to a government grant. On his return, Bunge built numerous residential high-rises in Buenos Aires. His most visible work was the main site for the Banco Francés in the banking district downtown. With one of the largest domes around, beautiful Beaux-Arts details often go unnoticed during hectic business hours. Go on the weekend for a better look:
Another Bunge building in BA is the former Cristalerías Rigolleau factory on Paseo Colón. Although utilitarian & less decorative, Bunge included relief panels depicting various stages of glassmaking. Unfortunately this structure has been chopped into a parking garage & a hamburger joint today:
Bunge is most remembered for a project 370 km south of Buenos Aires. He, his friend Rigolleau & other wealthy investors created the seaside resort town Pinamar. The original landowner had always wanted to plant pine trees near the sandy dunes & in 1941 Bunge made it work. Thanks to helpful weather conditions & quick construction, Pinamar received its first tourists in 1943 & remains very popular today for summer vacation. Marcelo has been often & offered the following photos:
Remarkable for its eclectic decoration, Ignacio chose to be buried alone… not in a family crypt as most residents of Recoleta Cemetery. From the crowning angel to lamppost eagles & guardian lions, he must have also wanted to stand out as much as possible from the neighbors:
In the midst of all the decorative overload is a relief panel at eye level. It depicts the Biblical story of Noah who was found by his son Ham drunk & naked in his tent after a recent wine harvest (Genesis 9:20-25). Ham told his brothers what he had seen, & they immediately went in to cover their father… without looking, of course. When Noah awoke, he cursed all of Ham’s descendants—the future nation of Canaan:
What does the conflict between Noah & Ham teach? The simple answer is that no one knows, although some of the best possible explanations can be found on The Straight Dope. Although biographic info about Ignacio is sparse (he was related to the wealthy Lezica family), one thing is clear… he must have had some father issues in order to put this image on his tombstone.
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Haunting, modern statue with a plague of constant cobwebs. A similar version of this statue “El Mensaje” greets visitors along the Caminito in La Boca.
