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Saving Graces
Many cemeteries in Europe are strewn with shockingly sensual sculptures of women.
They are idealized creations-young, gorgeous, elaborately posed, and beautifully sculpted. David Robinson's exquisite photographs reveal the angelic beauty and mystery of these lifelike sculptures. In her foreword, Joyce Carol Oates explores the many implications of these grief-stricken, extremely provocative female figures.
They are idealized creations-young, gorgeous, elaborately posed, and beautifully sculpted. David Robinson's exquisite photographs reveal the angelic beauty and mystery of these lifelike sculptures. In her foreword, Joyce Carol Oates explores the many implications of these grief-stricken, extremely provocative female figures.
- GenresArtPhotographyNonfiction
128 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 1995
54 people want to read
About the author
David Robinson
4 books1 followerLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 10, 2018
This is a book of photographs of sculptures: expressive, sensuous, strikingly beautiful funerary sculptures of the 19th century. It was a period of changing moralities, a Romantic period, in which the family became a 'focus of affection'.
These figures were mostly young, idealized female forms. The figures of men, by contrast, were of individual personalities, not depicted in paroxysms of grief and longing, but often with notes of their professions.
In his Afterword, Robinson says he sees cemeteries as "places of extreme optimism, where eternal life takes precedence over mortality . . .where focus turns from the temporal past to the eternal life ahead." These figures are forever young, symbolizing the aspiration for life, not death.
The sculptures are beautiful expressions of the profound emotions inspired by death.
These figures were mostly young, idealized female forms. The figures of men, by contrast, were of individual personalities, not depicted in paroxysms of grief and longing, but often with notes of their professions.
In his Afterword, Robinson says he sees cemeteries as "places of extreme optimism, where eternal life takes precedence over mortality . . .where focus turns from the temporal past to the eternal life ahead." These figures are forever young, symbolizing the aspiration for life, not death.
The sculptures are beautiful expressions of the profound emotions inspired by death.
June 22, 2018
I purchased this book in 1998 and have kept it sealed since. I occasionally will page through it. The sculpture on the cover is one of the most beautiful sculptures in existence. The sculptures within the book are heart-wrenching. The ability for some of these artists to capture the pain and grief of losing a loved one is very powerful and this little jewel of a book captures these feelings incredible well. One of several valuable books that I'm happy I've purchased and own.
May 2, 2011
This beautiful little book is the loveliest collection of graveyard photographs I have ever seen. The reproduction of the prints is flawless. The black and white stills are luminous, transmuting marble and bronze into the textures of light. The photos are displayed to best advantage, each one filling a trade-size page, faced by a blank white page which reflects light and helps to focus your eyes.
Robinson first took note of the statues of grieving women as he photographed Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Life-sized figures of women adorned graves all around him. Some of them were decorous muses, laying wreaths. Others were convulsed in their grief, faces buried in their hands or shoulders hunched against the headstones. As he traveled into Italy, he discovered barely clad beauties, distraught in their bereavement, who seemed to have flung themselves across the graves.
The cover photo is the most dramatic of all these. Her exquisite body is entirely nude, save for a sprig of roses tucked under her right breast and a chaste corner of drapery across one thigh. She appears to have fainted, too overcome by distress to remember where she left her clothing.
In several of the photos that follow, maidens seem to have swooned back onto the vaults. Some of them are carved as if lying beneath a light sheet that only highlights their dishabille beneath — it’s as if they’ve laid down amidst the tombs to sleep. The sculptors have gone to great lengths to indicate that these are lifelike figures, not the dead portrayed. Lusting for them is more like Pygmalion’s yearning than necrophilia.
Other figures, usually in low relief rather than stand-alone statues, are carved as if draped in muslin shrouds. Their faces are hidden, though their bare breasts are revealed. Are these the dead who have passed beyond and await the living?
In his explanatory text, Robinson suggests that all of these women, no matter their dress, serve as escorts in the journey ahead. This lovely sentiment is perhaps naive, but it’s in keeping with the high romanticism of the photos here collected. I highly recommend searching out this book.
This review also appeared in Morbid Curiosity #1.
Robinson first took note of the statues of grieving women as he photographed Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Life-sized figures of women adorned graves all around him. Some of them were decorous muses, laying wreaths. Others were convulsed in their grief, faces buried in their hands or shoulders hunched against the headstones. As he traveled into Italy, he discovered barely clad beauties, distraught in their bereavement, who seemed to have flung themselves across the graves.
The cover photo is the most dramatic of all these. Her exquisite body is entirely nude, save for a sprig of roses tucked under her right breast and a chaste corner of drapery across one thigh. She appears to have fainted, too overcome by distress to remember where she left her clothing.
In several of the photos that follow, maidens seem to have swooned back onto the vaults. Some of them are carved as if lying beneath a light sheet that only highlights their dishabille beneath — it’s as if they’ve laid down amidst the tombs to sleep. The sculptors have gone to great lengths to indicate that these are lifelike figures, not the dead portrayed. Lusting for them is more like Pygmalion’s yearning than necrophilia.
Other figures, usually in low relief rather than stand-alone statues, are carved as if draped in muslin shrouds. Their faces are hidden, though their bare breasts are revealed. Are these the dead who have passed beyond and await the living?
In his explanatory text, Robinson suggests that all of these women, no matter their dress, serve as escorts in the journey ahead. This lovely sentiment is perhaps naive, but it’s in keeping with the high romanticism of the photos here collected. I highly recommend searching out this book.
This review also appeared in Morbid Curiosity #1.
July 20, 2010
I bought this after buying "Beautiful Death" because I loved the photos so much. Unfortunately, this book was not as well put together. It's smaller (which I hate small photography books!) and most of the photos are in black & white, but are not very striking. I'm not sure if the photographer intended for the photos to be so gray or if that's the fault of the publisher. When I purchased this I was hoping to get more of the large, colored photos that were in Beautiful Death... Even if they are intended to be black & white only, larger pictures would be preferable in order to observe the details of the sculptures...
October 24, 2007
Out of all the photography books I own this one I cherish the most! This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever had the pleasure to look at. Lots and lots of wonderful black and white images of funerary statues, specifically mourning women from all over Europe (over half from France). A powerful book and a must own!
April 13, 2009
I would have given this book a 5-star rating had it been larger. I was expecting a "coffee table" size tome and was disappointed to see that it was slightly smaller than your usual trade paperback.
Not a lot of text, but more a photographic essay of statuary of women in various cemeteries. There are several beautiful black and white photos, mostly taken in Parisian and Italian graveyards.
Not a lot of text, but more a photographic essay of statuary of women in various cemeteries. There are several beautiful black and white photos, mostly taken in Parisian and Italian graveyards.
January 25, 2016
Gorgeous collection of photos of female statues from European cemeteries. I think they could have tried a bit harder to find out whose graves these are and who commmissioned them. The male artist sees them all as grieving, but i think some of them look a little pleased or could care less the person is dead. maybe the widows paid for some?
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews