Eugenio Cardini was an immigrant from Piemonte, Italy who arrived in Buenos Aires around 1860. He eventually founded a factory which produced iron bedframes. Other types of furniture were made as well, & his market was mainly other immigrants… those with less resources, not the upper class. In 1898, some 2,000 bedframes per month were produced! The source for this info is the online Diccionario Biográfico Italo-Argentino compiled by the Asociación Dante Alighieri in Buenos Aires.
The plaque mentions the “establishment” founded by Cardini & confirms his date of death as 08 Jan 1910:
Just as interesting, Art Nouveau architect Julián García Núñez designed this vault. While not as elaborate as some of his apartment buildings, it represents one of the few constructions in Recoleta Cemetery with elements of modernisme… the Catalán take on Art Nouveau. García Núñez also built the family’s vacation home in Mar del Plata, unfortunately demolished today. Cardini faces boxer Luis Ángel Firpo & unfortunately is often overlooked.
Update (10 Dec 2012): The great-granddaughter of Cardini discovered this post & provided a bit more info (see comments below). Cardini liked photography so much that he purchased a Lumière camera during a trip to France. A brief clip of Plaza de Mayo—that’s the Cabildo in the background—from 1902 is short but very sweet. Thanks, Louise!!
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.
I am his greatgrandaughter. He was also a pioneer of cinematography and photography in Argentina.
Hello Louise – Thank you very much for the comment!! Can you confirm that your great-grandfather was the same one who made the iron bedframes? Do you have any information about why he contacted Julián García Núñez to build the family mausoleum? Any idea of what it might have cost in 1910? Do you have any examples of his early photography?
Sorry for so many questions, but there is a lot of information missing about both Eugenio Cardini & JGN. Gracias por tu ayuda… saludos!
Hello Louise
i’m studying the cinema of the italian in Argentina in the silent period. It could be very important for me have some informations about Eugenio Cardini, can i have your contact?
Thanks
Hello.
Can you tell me, from which city of the Piemonte, he comes?
Thanks
El link que puse al Diccionario Biográfico Italo-Argentino dice que Cardini nació en Omegna (Novara). Saludos!
Sorry it took so long to answer. I just came back to this page when showing my in Law’s some of his photography work online.
I have no idea why he contacted this particular architect but I can ask either my mother or my great aunt.
Send me an email if you still want this and I can put you in touch.
Louise
Thanks, Louise!
Interesting and important page. Please, I requiere some information, because I know Eugenio Cardini (born Buenos Aires 1879 and die Mar del Plata, province of Buenos Aires, 1962) was an important pioneer of Argentine silent cinema who try to manufacture himself a camera, and lately bought a Lumière’s and filmed views of Buenos Aires and the films “Escenas Callejeras”, “Plaza de Mayo”, “En casa del fotógrafo” and others, year 1902. So, this person is not the same Eugenio Cardini who die in 1910, maybe his son? Eugenio Cardini who dedicated part of his life to the cinema was also a member of the important Sociedad Fotográfica Argentina de Aficionados (SFA de A), and won a prize on year 1900 by his practise on stereoscopy
Hello Alejandro – Thanks for the comment. As you can see in the Update above, Louise confirmed that he is part of the same family, perhaps his son as you suggest. Unfortunately I have no other information about Cardini other than what is posted here. Good luck & if you verify anything, please let us know! Saludos!
Hi Robert.- This is a good info about Cardini family:
Eugenio Cardini
Birth date: 01/06/1851
Birth place: Omegna, Piedmont, Italy
Death date and place: 01/08/1910. Buenos Aires, Capital Federal, Argentina
Family: Son of Juan Cardini y Maria Nobile
Husband of Juana Airoldi
Father of Eugenio Alejandro Cardini Airoldi (the SFA de A member)
Hi, Robert!. Additional info about Eugenio Cardini:
Eugenio Cardini Senior lived at San Cristóbal neighborhood (Buenos Aires city) where he was the owner of a wrought iron furniture factory at Rioja Street, near San Juan Av.
Regards!.
Sí, Alejandro… todo eso está en el post y tb en el link que puse en el primer párrafo 😉
Ah!, mil disculpas, sucede que leí el Diccionario Biográfico Italo-Argentino y no pude encontrar la dirección allí de la fábrica en Bs. As. ni el apellido de la esposa (Airoldi)
De hecho, mi entrada era porque escribiendo una historia del cine silente argentino, Eugenio Cardini (h) tiene su relevancia, y creo que en cuanto al film posteado se está confundiendo a Eugenio Cardini con Eugenio Alejandro (el hijo), quien además fue el dueño de la casa demolida en Mar del Plata (Casa de Madera). Tengo que volver al Cementerio de La Recoleta a recopilar info. Hace 15 años no voy y al Museo Ducros Kicken (todo me queda muy lejos). Saben uds. si en la bóveda familiar Cardini están los restos de Eugenio Alejandro (el hijo) quien se dedicó a la cinematografía en forma amateur? Gracias y otra vez perdón por la intromición. Saludos!
Hahaha todo bien, Ale. Es que me pasa siempre cuando los hijos llevan el mismo nombre como los padres. Hace el trabajo de genealogía más difícil, no? La verdad, no tengo ni idea si el hijo está enterrado ahí pero lo que podés hacer es ir a la dirección del cementerio y pedir los archivos. Están organizado por fecha de la muerte (no por nombre) así que por lo menos tenés la fecha de 1910 para empezar. Cuando terminás la investigación, me encantaría leerla… y claro, voy a actualizar el texto del post. Gracias y saludos!