Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Taphophile Tragics: our darling

St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery has a section with lots of children's graves.  It is hard to fathom the overwhelming grief a parent must feel at the loss of a child.  This funeral statue is so individual looking, I'm assuming it is based on a photo.  No signature was found.  There's something out of proportion about this figure and her face looks more like an adult than a child.  Although a vintage piece, someone remembers her and has placed a toy at her feet.

For more cemetery wanderings, visit Julie's Taphophile Tragics.
Posted by Oakland Daily Photo at 12:00 AM
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17 comments:

  1. CloudiaApril 30, 2012 at 8:46 PM

    Remarkable capture. If you ever get over here, Oahu Cemetery will blow your mind!


    Aloha from Honolulu
    Comfort Spiral

    > < } } (°>

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  2. AnnApril 30, 2012 at 10:42 PM

    The stuffed toy is very touching.

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  3. DinaApril 30, 2012 at 11:29 PM

    Yes, the small children's graves are always the saddest.
    This is a strange statue, with a grown-up face.

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  4. Herding CatsMay 1, 2012 at 4:46 AM

    Was there any more information on the grave as the statue's face looks very masculine for a little girl. In earlier times, boys were dressed in smocks until the age of 6-7 when they got their first part of trousers.

    Great post, lovley picture.

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  5. HalcyonMay 1, 2012 at 5:53 AM

    I agree, there is something off with the head. It's too large and too adult looking. In fact, it sort of gives me the creeps. :S

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  6. VioletSkyMay 1, 2012 at 8:13 AM

    That face is creepy.
    I think they got the wrong photo.

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  7. OwenMay 1, 2012 at 1:09 PM

    I agree with Violet... CREEPY... if that is a her, it looks more like a very grim "him"... not sure what the sculpture was thinking (or drinking), but if the artist wanted to make people uneasy, I'd say they succeeded...

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  8. Melbourne Australia PhotosMay 1, 2012 at 1:40 PM

    It's true that children's deaths are the hardest to cope with in a family and the scars left after a child dies last for life. The sentiments that were instrumental in the raising of this monument are understandable, however, as you note the statue is disproportionate and the large head makes the figure look like a dwarf rather than a child. This may actually contribute greatly to the poignancy...

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  9. PerthDailyPhotoMay 2, 2012 at 3:15 AM

    A very interesting and unusual find, so sad to see all those other little graves all around. Can't even begin to imagine what it must be like.

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  10. UnknownMay 2, 2012 at 11:20 AM

    I agree with you, there's something very strange here but the detail of the toy is lovely.

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  11. ArtandArchitecture-SF.comMay 2, 2012 at 4:19 PM

    Yes - it is terribly mis proportioned, but what a sweet touch by someone with the toy.

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  12. SondraMay 2, 2012 at 6:01 PM

    the head is larger than the body for sure...But at least she is remembered fondly.

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  13. Genie -- Paris and BeyondMay 2, 2012 at 7:37 PM

    Poignant statue and how sad the loss of a child.

    I think that whoever put this together had limited choices and used an adult head on a child's body. For the grieving parents, it did not matter.

    Bises,
    Genie

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  14. DyannaMay 2, 2012 at 9:16 PM

    Strange but fascinating. Creepy but compelling. I like it!

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  15. JulieMay 3, 2012 at 12:23 AM

    That is one child I would not mess with. Stubborn. Feet firmly planted. Hands more than ready to form into a fist. I suspect, too, that it may be a male child.

    I find it even more sad when a soft toy is left on a grave. It so quickly becomes bedraggled, and tawdry.

    This is a really good find, Carolyn. Would love to get a name or a circumstance. No pressure, mind. Well ... not much pressure ...

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  16. CaTMay 3, 2012 at 4:52 PM

    yes, its a little odd! the proportions are a bit off indeed...

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  17. AnonymousMay 3, 2012 at 8:48 PM

    I wonder if the statue is in proportion to the grief of the parents.. poor them.

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