Monteverde Angels - from Texas to Indonesia
Replicas of Monteverde's Resurrection Angel abound - from Texas to Indonesia!
The Mona Lisa of Cemetery Angels
My article for this month’s American Cemetery and Cremation Magazine focuses on a famous cemetery statue known as Monteverde’s “Angel of Resurrection.” (One of my photos even made the cover - whee!)
While the original statue stands in Genoa, Italy, copies exist in burial grounds all over the world.
In this post, I’ll share photos of some replicas, but first let’s talk about the infamous American copy commissioned by St. Louis millionaire Herman Luyties, as seen below:
A Lurid Tale Surrounds the St. Louis Replica
I had fun unraveling the juicy tale surrounding Mr. Luyties’ Resurrection Angel. He was a notorious womanizer, so society columns gave his escapades plenty of column space.
To learn the full history of the original Italian sculpture as well as the true story behind the scandalous American replica, check out my article “Cemetery Shapes: The Mona Lisa of Cemetery Angels.”
Meanwhile, here are three replicas of Monteverde’s Resurrection Angel I’ve come across in my travels - from Texas to Indonesia!
The Original is in Genoa, Italy
Let’s start with the original statue which was sculpted by Giulio Monteverde in Italy. I’ve seen it twice, most recently while working as as cemetery symbolism guide for Lisa’s Gryphon Art Tours.
News Flash: I return for another art tour trip in 2025 - this time we will explore cemeteries and catacombs of Rome and surrounding areas. Want to join us? It’s gonna be fun!
Two Texas Copies
I don’t know how many copies of Monteverde’s Resurrection Angel there are in Texas, but I know of at least two. The first one can be found in Galveston’s Old Catholic Cemetery, as you can see above.
While filming a museum project in Austin’s Oakwood Cemetery for the City of Austin, I saw another copy of the Monteverde angel. (I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more copies in Texas; I’m still looking!)
Monteverde’s Angel in Indonesia
The most far-flung example of this famous statue I have personally come across was in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Unfortunately, I could only take photos of this replica through our car window. According to our cab driver, the cemetery was too dangerous for us to walk around.
“No stopping. Sorry, sorry,” he apologized. “Not safe. Criminals living here. Poor people living here. Not safe for you. Not safe for me,” he added with a laugh.
So… I just snapped some photos and tried not to pout as we whizzed past. I still hope to learn the story behind that replica.
Have you seen a replica?
As mentioned, Monteverde’s Resurrection Angel is one of the most copied cemetery angels in the world.
Have you ever seen the original or come across a replica? Is there a copy near you?
She’s even got a Facebook group
There is even a Facebook group dedicated to Monteverde’s Resurrection Angel called “L'Angelo di Monteverde: raccolta foto di tutte le copie nel mondo”
As you can imagine, the group is dedicated to gathering photos of all the Resurrection Angel replicas of the world in one place.
Even if you don’t speak Italian, people frequently post to that Facebook group in English, and even when they don’t, it’s easy to translate comments on the site.
If you come across a replica in your travels, the group would be thrilled to see your photos, as would I.