Monumento Maffei, Cimitero Monumentale, Milaan, Italië c. 1860 - 1890

This photograph by Edizione Brogi captures the Maffei monument, made of carved stone, in Milan’s Cimitero Monumentale. It encapsulates 19th-century funerary art’s preoccupation with finely worked materials and the consoling imagery of angels. The monument is a testament to the enduring craft traditions of stone carving. Notice how the angel is carved in the round, with every detail of her anatomy carefully articulated. The stone’s cool, smooth texture conveys a sense of serenity and permanence, offering solace to those grieving. The cross is a rougher affair. The monument reflects the cultural values of its time, with the cost of craftsmanship indicating the economic means of the family and the high status afforded to artisanal skill. In an era of increasing industrialization, the act of hand-carving stone held a certain symbolic power, embodying a connection to the past and an enduring sense of human artistry, now captured in a photograph to be memorialized forever. In this context, materials, making, and societal context play a crucial role in appreciating the monument's deeper meaning. It pushes us to challenge traditional notions of fine art, which focuses more on aesthetic qualities and concepts, in favor of art that encompasses the values of craftsmanship.