Skip to content

Month: January 2008

084. josé mármol

Published by Robert on 6 January 2008

José Mármol, Recoleta Cemetery

Although labeled as the Sepulcro Milano, one of the first great literary figures of Argentina is buried here—José Mármol. Born in 1818, Mármol became involved in politics at an early age. He didn’t complete his law degree due to fierce opposition & activism against the dictatorial style of Juan Manuel de Rosas. After being imprisoned for arguing with members of the Rosas family, Mármol decided to leave Buenos Aires. He met other anti-Rosas comrades in Montevideo & was inspired to write. When the forces of Rosas invaded Montevideo, Mármol moved even further away… this time to Rio de Janeiro. By the time Rosas was removed from Argentina, Mármol had been away from Buenos Aires for 13 years. From 1845 to 1868, he occupied several government positions. His last duty before going blind & passing away in 1871 was director of the National Library.

In spite of a life dedicated to serving his nation, José Mármol is most remembered for his first novel, Amália. Published in serial form beginning in 1844, the 75-chapter novel successfully mixed romance with current events so well that readers weren’t sure if they were reading fact or fiction.

A quick plot summary: Eduardo Belgrano is wounded in an attempt to escape Buenos Aires & the rule of Rosas. A friend, Daniel, saves Eduardo’s life & gives him refuge in the house of his cousin… a young widow named Amália. Daniel & Amália pretend to support Rosas in order to keep Eduardo safe, & of course this gives time for Eduardo & Amália to fall in love. But as they try to flee Buenos Aires, both are killed by the right-hand man of Rosas. This classic is usually required reading in most Argentine schools, & Mármol’s entire body of work can be found online for free in the public domain.

The tomb is a wonderful interpretation of Art Nouveau, full of curves, vines & depictions of plant life:

José Mármol, Recoleta Cemetery

A plaque on the right was given by a cultural center inspired by Mármol:

José Mármol, Recoleta Cemetery

And an oval image of man being swallowed by a crowned “serpent” appears to be a loose interpretation of the Visconti coat-of-arms… surely because this mausoleum was used by Milanese descendants. But how did José Marmol end up here?

José Mármol, Recoleta Cemetery

Like Art Nouveau? Learn about the architects of the era, their individual styles & what makes Art Nouveau in Buenos Aires so unique with a 33-page guide from our sister site, Endless Mile.

4 Comments

082. recent restoration ◊

Published by Robert on 4 January 2008

If you notice scaffolding surrounding a tomb or mausoleum in Recoleta Cemetery, don’t worry. It’s not a demolition project.

I plan on donating 10% of map profits to the Asociación Amigos del Cementerio de Recoleta in order to help a good cause. Since 2002, the Friends’ Association has coordinated the restoration of the tombs of historically important figures. Most sculptures & monuments are generally around 100 years old so pollution, climate change, & invasion by plants & microorganisms can do a lot of damage over time. Also, plots are normally purchased for eternity so if a family leaves Argentina, has no descendants, moves their family to another cemetery, or does not pay the monthly maintenance fee, the mausoleum slowly decays over time.

From stop #6 in our PDF guide, three completed restoration projects can be seen. The first is a General José María Pirán whose bust decorates his vault:

José Pirán, Recoleta Cemetery

The large, unfinished column houses the remains of the adopted son of one of Argentina’s most beloved presidents, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento. His son, Dominguito, was buried here after being killed in the war with Paraguay:

Dominguito Sarmiento, Recoleta Cemetery

An obelisk crowned with an angel is popularly known as the Cenotaph of the Three Friends. A cenotaph means that this is just a memorial & no remains are buried here. Evidently these three were such good friends that their loved ones wanted to remember them as a trio. You can see a plaque as well as a symbol of what each man did as you walk around. Alberto Viola was a prolific writer & politician (with books). Adolfo Mitre was son of President Bartolomé Mitre & a poet (hence the lyre). Benigno Lugones was a writer for La Nación newspaper (which is his symbol). Oddly enough all three died within a year of each other:

Cenotaph, 3 friends, Recoleta Cemetery

Cenotaph, 3 friends, Recoleta Cemetery

In the long run, ADACRE never responded to my offer of donating 10% of map profits. Basically I put that cash into maintaining this blog, but it would have been nice to make a contribution.

Leave a Comment

081. anchors

Published by Robert on 3 January 2008

An angel with an anchor is one of the oldest existing Christian symbols. Used primarily until the year 400 A.D., the image is taken directly from the Book of Hebrews 6:19-20… hope is “an anchor of the soul, sure & firm.” Just as an anchor maintains a ship steady, so does the Christian faith & early Christian cemeteries often used the symbol on tombs.

No one knows exactly why the anchor was replaced by other symbols in later years, but a revival began in the 1600s especially in cemeteries. Although not abundant in Recoleta Cemetery, a few angels with anchors can be found on the tops of domes or by vault entrances:

Anchor, Recoleta Cemetery

Anchor, Recoleta Cemetery

Anchor, Recoleta Cemetery

Anchor, Recoleta Cemetery

Anchor, Recoleta Cemetery

Leave a Comment

080. familia de don llambi campbell

Published by Robert on 2 January 2008

Llambi Campbell, Recoleta Cemetery

This gated family vault uses only underground storage with little ornamentation above except for one of the most beautiful angels in the cemetery. Paulino Llambi Campbell owned a large amount of land in the Argentine province of Santa Fe & named the area & town after his family.

The angel holds a trumpet in one hand while crossing her arms over her chest. The slightly bowed head is hardly demure… she has a very come-hither look on her face. Add some sensual curves & this is one of the most femme fatale statues in Recoleta Cemetery:

Llambi Campbell, Recoleta Cemetery

But this statue is not unique. Inspired by a similar angel in Staglieno Cemetery in Genoa, Italy, she makes the Recoleta version seem absolutely tame. The original was made by Giulio Monteverde, an Italian artist who trained Lola Mora & Victor de Pol as well as sculpting the crucifixion inside the entrance gate chapel. Thanks to Sergio Sanginisi for taking such a wonderful photo:

Staglieno Cemetery angel, Genoa

Just above the staircase which descends into the family vault is an inscription in French, “there is no death except for the one who is forgotten.” Thanks to Sergio for helping with the translation:

Llambi Campbell, Recoleta Cemetery

Update (08 Feb 2012): Thanks to the online Witcomb Collection, older versions of Recoleta Cemetery are coming to light. A nearby plot (four mini-blocks to the right) originally belonged to Vicente Ocampo & displayed a more accurate copy of the Staglieno masterpiece. Unfortunately only the Llambi Campbell copy survives today, & the Vicente Ocampo plot has been sold & divided into four sub-plots. I wonder what the Ocampo family did with their copy???

Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Ocampo, Colección Witcomb

13 Comments