One of the most common sculptures in Recoleta Cemetery is a woman, usually cloaked or shrouded, in mourning. Since Catholicism stresses the role of Mary as mother & wife, a grieving woman has powerful symbolism here. Below are examples which range from tender to downright spooky.
While not a large percentage of the immigrant population, a fair number of people arrived to Argentina from Poland. The Unión de los Polacos has a large, modern mausoleum along the back wall of the cemetery:
The most illustrious I’ve found are the Count & Countess Zoltowski. He served as the Polish ambassador until his death in 1973:
But not all Polish immigrants were so lucky. Many Polish women in the early 1900s were brought to Argentina under the pretext of marriage to a wealthy, local businessman. Unfortunately when they disembarked, they were forced to work in prostitution. It was as dangerous then as it is now & over 1,000 of those women were buried in Avellaneda in a place called the Cemetery of Lost Souls (Cementerio de las Almas Perdidas).
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Lots of important people built their mausoleums along the cemetery’s outer walls… or at least lots of people with delusions of grandeur. Prior to the days of high-rise apartments, these were some of the best spots. And given the open views, it’s understandable that many families got carried away with size & decoration.
The Campos family dedicated themselves to military service & Luis María founded the War College (Escuela Superior de Guerra) in 1900. But in spite of Luis María’s historical merit, the mausoleum is one of the finest in the cemetery. Big & bold with lots of symbolism, Jules Félix Coutan, the head sculptor of the Paris School of Fine Arts at the beginning of the 20th century, created this work of art. Coutan had already designed & decorated several important buildings in Paris… so in a sense, Campos brought a piece of that city to Buenos Aires. Coutan’s signature is visible on the lower left:
Luis María Campos stands with his sword to his heart while an angel beckons him to join her above. One thing that makes this sculpture unique is that Campos is supposedly so great, he towers over Argentina. The figure of a woman sitting at his feet supporting a shield is meant to represent the nation. Country should be more important, but the upper class usually has a very different view of what’s appropriate:
The Escuela Superior de Guerra can be found in Buenos Aires at the 400 block of the avenue which bears his name… with another statue of himself:
Update (10 Apr 2013): Incredible Art Nouveau image found in Campos’ obituary in society magazine Caras y Caretas (Año X, 19 Oct 1907, No. 472, page 52):
A lawyer who became politically active after the First British Invasion in 1806, Juan José Paso was one of the most outspoken founding fathers of Argentine independence.
Lack of free trade as well as the occupation of Spain by France were key factors in Argentina proclaiming independence. Paso worked in the tax office for the Viceroy but did not hesitate to join the nascent revolution. Forming part of the 9-member Primera Junta (First Council) on May 25, 1810, Juan José Paso served as one of the secretaries. Soon after in Montevideo, he tried to convince the sister city of Buenos Aires that independence was in everyone’s best interest. Not many were willing to listen. Disagreement among factions in the region would lead to the collapse of the council.
Paso later became part of a brief-lived triumvirate, then joined sides with independence heroes José de San Martín & Carlos Alvear. Missions to Chile & defending Admiral Guillermo Brown in court occupied his time soon after. Even though Paso never resumed a top political position after the triumvirate, he was a key figure in the new nation’s development. Paso worked on the first draft of the Argentine constitution in 1819 & continued to represent the interests of Buenos Aires in Congress for the remainder of his life.
Juan José Paso died in 1833 with little fortune to show for the service given to his country. In fact, the Governor of Buenos Aires at the time decided to raise funds for this tomb in gratitude for Paso’s dedication.
There are two distinct spellings of his last name: Paso & Passo. With ancestors from northern Spain, their last name in gallego was Do Pazo. The “z” was later replaced with either one “s” or two. Take your pick.
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