Back in April, on my journey up the east coast of Italy the train rushed past the main cemetery of Rimini. I'd stopped off at the station there the day before, heading for a hotel in the Republic of San Marino, that separate country up a nearby mountain. Next day, travelling north to Ferrara I had no time to drop by and pay my respects to the small sea-side town's most famous tomb, that of the great film director Federico Fellini and his wife, actor Giulletta Masina. Their only child, Pierfederico who lived for just a few weeks is also interred there. Designed by Arnaldo Pomodoro (famous for his sphere within a sphere series in bronze), I knew it lay just within the main gate and strained my neck to catch a glimpse of it but the train had picked up too much speed.
MilanoA few days later I wound up my April trip. I was in Milano again and had a free afternoon to drop by the monumental cemetery to re-visit a few old faves, and even discovered a large corner of the site I had never explored before. The surrounding building work which had bedevilled reaching the place for years is finally nearing completion.
This undated and unsigned piece is inscribed simply "Stefani"
This beautiful 1889 piece commemorates the Garassino family and is signed by Ivo Joli
The grave of music publisher Domenico Vismarra (1887). This haunting vision of old age was probably based on the deceased man's mother. Carved by Primo Giudici
This haunting creature stands over the grave of Luigi (1937) and Teresa Della Torre (1947). I coulnd't find any signature.
A different view of Davide Campari's tomb
The Very splendid Medri tomb
This is the grave of Daniela Samuele, who at 17 years old was the Italian national butterfly swimming champion. She was killed along with 46 others (including her coach and 6 other Italian swimmers) in the Lufthansa Flight 005 crash in 1966, at Bremen airport.
The Mariani family grave. There are a number of these extreme, expressionist revival sculpture groups in the Milano monumentale. This one was undated but probably had a mid 1950's origin
Another expressionist revival piece. Inscription lost under the ivy
The Sarchi family tomb, which didn't seem to be signed or dated
Corrado Luccardi, who died on Christmas Eve 1923, age 4. Her mother Olimpia was buried with her on her death 5 years later. The sculpture is signed G. Pero
The frankly terrifying Guardian Angel of the Sepulchre standing over the grave of Fontana Roux was made in 1925 by Giannino Castiglioni
This extremely curious tomb signed by V. Gasperetti was raised for the Gamba family.
It depicts on one side animal experimentation, with dispassionate figures operating on a dog while a basket full of rabbits awaits their fate. The reverse shows people rock climbing, a couple sitting at a table under a tree, and another coulple getting their clothes off. It's one of the oddest and most unique tombstones I've ever seen.
Another moving child's tomb. This one is for Fulvia Billi who died in 1934, age 5. The sculpture was added (unusually you would have thought) during WWII, and is signed Carlo Gadda 1941.
A return visit to the wonderful Tullo Morgagani monument
I had hoped to close this post by reporting that, 3 years after my first wander that Butti's Work and The Vital Breath of Life was finally restored and free of scaffolding, but no such luck.