I’ve been unable to find out anything about who this family is or what they did, & the plaques on the front don’t help much. The interior is nice—a little barren—but with interesting stained glass:
For me the highlight is the 1926 Art Deco statue on top by Troiano Troiani. It’s slightly out of proportion, but that makes it all the more appealing. Different times of day show different facets of this gigantic guy… definitely one of the most unique sculptures with an hourglass in the cemetery.
Our former walking tours of Recoleta Cemetery appeared in the 04 Feb 2007 travel section of the NYT:
To most visitors, the Recoleta Cemetery in the upscale Recoleta district (intersection of Junín and Guido) is known as the place where Eva Perón’s body is buried. But the graveyard is also the final home of several presidents, scientists and other influential Argentines. Urban Explorer [a company run by Robert from 2003 to 2008] offers a history-filled recorded tour through the Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Modernist-style mausoleums. Highlights include the tomb of Luis Ángel Firpo, an Argentine heavyweight who once knocked Jack Dempsey out of the ring.
The original article can be found here.
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As with most European families, Argentine-born sons were often named after their father, so there are actually two David Spinettos buried here. One was born in Genoa, immigrated to Argentina, & opened the first wholesale fruit & vegetable market within the city limits of Buenos Aires in 1894. Located in the center of town, it did a booming business. David’s plaque is on the left. On his death, the Mercado Spinetto was run by his son-in-law, Juan Sanguinetti… seen on the plaque on the right.
Unfortunately a wave of privatization in the 1990s shut the market down. Today only its shell remains —the interior gutted & occupied by a megachain supermarket:
Son David, born in Argentina, left his mark as well. He became a doctor but instead of practicing, opted for administration. He ran the Hospital Italiano & dedicated his life to promoting Italian culture. It’s not surprising that this spectacular door was imported from Milan in 1912… don’t miss the inscription on the lower left corner:
Magnificently Art Nouveau, the crown of thorns with a serpent intertwined at each corner has been turned into a decorative frame for St. George killing a dragon —a symbolic representation of the devil. St. George was a Christian soldier, born in Turkey & martyred around the year 300. As one of the patron saints of Genoa where the Spinettos hailed from, they pay a spectacular tribute to their homeland. Hands down, this gets my vote for Best Door in the entire cemetery.
The vine design surrounding the exterior cross is repeated inside… although it’s difficult to peek through small gaps in the St. George door. Another Art Nouveau-inspired image visible is a bat just above the altar. A creature of the night, what better animal to watch over the residents of a cemetery?
Update (25 Jul 2020): A reader from Italy (original comment below) has discovered that Milanese sculptors Carlo & Luigi Rigola designed that spectacular door for Palanti. In addition, they did the current doors for the Milan cathedral & many other works inside. An overview of their works together, including funerary sculpture, can be found on this website (in Italian). Grazie Carlo!!
Update (24 Aug 2024): An article by Pablo Chiesa published today in the newspaper La Nación adds considerable insight to the construction & design of this spectacular vault. David Spinetto left his hometown of Prati de Mezzanego at the age of 12 in 1856 to meet his half-brothers in Buenos Aires. They ran a successful sawmill —on the future site of the national Congress— and gradually began to import construction materials of high quality from Europe. The family was paid a hefty sum for surrendering the entire city block, & in 1894 David opened the Mercado Spinetto not far away.
David passed away in 1910 & his son, David Juan Luis, decided to build the vault in Recoleta Cemetery. Family letters confirm that he hired Italian architect Gaetano Moretti for the construction… but previous commitments meant he could not supervise its construction. That job went to Mario Palanti of Palacio Barolo fame.
For me, the most fascinating find of the entire investigation is the plaster model of the door in the workshop of the Rigola brothers in Cantù. How wonderful to find another piece of this historical puzzle!
Several of these signs with a late 80s/early 90s look are placed on the exterior brick wall at regular intervals:
“Here rest those who came before us in the journey of life. It is a place of respect that should be respected. Do not post bills or write inscriptions.”
It’s all about respect.
Leave a CommentThe three Terrabusi brothers arrived in Buenos Aires from Italy at the end of the 19th century & by 1911 had become entrepreneurs. Their cracker business was so successful that it eventually became one of the leading food companies in Argentina. The original logo depicts a woman walking with an umbrella in one hand & a tin of Terrabusi crackers in the other. Supposedly Ambrosio Terrabusi was sitting in a café one day, saw this girl & invented the logo/company slogan, “Not even the rain stops people from buying Terrabusi crackers.” Thanks to a former blog titled soncosasmias for the story & image below:
Most Argentines over 20-years old identify with the company because of their famous Manón crackers… a staple in every kid’s lunch box:
However, the company did not survive the wave of privatization in the 1990s. Carlos Reyes-Terrabusi sold the company in 1994 to Nabisco which in turn sold it to Kraft. Today, Kraft headquarters in Argentina now occupies what was once the Terrabusi main office. The sale price was a few million dollars, so Carlos now leads a luxurious life dedicated to polo. His team, La Picaza, won the 2007 Argentine Republic Cup. That’s him on the left:
It makes sense that one day he’ll end up in Recoleta Cemetery. The family has a modest, black granite vault from the exterior, but the interior holds a surprise… one of the most beautiful & sensual stained glass panels I’ve seen. Ever. Restoration work is currently being done, so I was able to get a shot with the door removed:
