Documenting Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires since 2007
Category: Art + Architecture
As part of an architectural & cultural movement from 1860 to 1900, nations once controlled by Spain began examining & re-evaluating their past. Dubbed Neoprehispánica, native imagery & patterns inspired the arts & was most popular in Mexico. Due in part to distance & also because Argentina had not preserved much of its pre-Hispanic past, the movement only caught on locally in the 1920s & 1930s. Its geometric designs fused well with Art Deco. Some of the architects to embrace Neoprehispánica in Buenos Aires were Ángel Guido, Martín Noel & Estanislao Pirovano.
The Aldao family mausoleum is unique in Recoleta Cemetery. While others with touches of this style exist, Atilo (Atilio or Antonio) Aldao made a bold statement:
Other places to look for this style are on plaques dedicated during that era:
A life-long statesman, Quintana held a number of important positions during his political career, mainly in Congress. He eventually rose to be among the political elite & won the presidency in 1904. The following year, an uprising by the UCR got his term off to a shaky start. Already in his 70s, Quintana’s health was weakened by having to deal with the uprising. A few months later an anarchist from Spain tried to assassinate Quintana. The revolver failed to go off, but Quintana was so distraught from the incident that he eventually stepped down from office & his Vice President took over. Quintana died a few months later in 1906.
What’s most striking about this tomb is its grandeur & elegance. It’s so large that you really have to step back in order to appreciate the decoration. Also, the effigy of Quintana literally resting in peace is not common in Recoleta Cemetery. Sculptures usually take the form of the living person (as in the boxer Luis Ángel Firpo) or heavenly figures such as angels & cherubs. It’s certainly an elegant exception to the norm:
The interior of the vault is oddly divided. The left side door leads downstairs to dark underground storage. On the right side, another door opens to a small staircase leading up to the main altar. An Omega shines through a beautiful piece of Art Nouveau stained glass, while the Alpha is above the door & can only be viewed from the interior:
One of the most spectacular works of Art Deco in the entire cemetery with a severe woman holding an oil lamp. Unfortunately no info about the architect for this masterpiece:
A copper-plated door shines in late afternoon light. The raised text reads: His heart gave out (literally, “broke”) from endless work [for his fellow man].
