Monument voor F.G. Casella op de begraafplaats van Staglieno in Genua c. 1870 - 1890

This photograph by Alfredo Noack captures the monument to F.G. Casella in the Staglieno Cemetery in Genoa, a site renowned for its elaborate funerary sculptures. The late 19th century was a time of rapid social change, as industrialization and urbanization transformed European society. It was also an era marked by strict social codes, particularly around gender and class. Monuments like this offer insight into how families memorialized their loved ones and projected an image of themselves to society. Note how the monument portrays a grieving widow and child, their sorrowful poses and gestures rendered in intricate detail. The overwhelming whiteness of the marble lends itself to the idea of purity, while also invoking societal ideals of womanhood and motherhood. The child, an emblem of innocence, stands in stark contrast to the stoic figure of the deceased. The monument not only commemorates an individual but also reflects broader societal values and cultural norms regarding family, mourning, and remembrance. It’s a poignant reminder of how we grapple with mortality and seek to create lasting tributes to those we’ve lost.