Friday, January 15, 2010

Forever in Stone

I love walking through old cemeteries. Some people may think it's weird or disrespectful to photograph grave markers or monuments, but to me it's a way of preserving the memory of the loved ones whose final resting places were marked with such exquisite and loving memorials by their families.

The artistry and masonry skill involved in the creation of the monuments ... the meticulously ornate detailing, the expressions on the faces, attention to proportion ... make each monument truly a work of art.

One of my favorite old cemeteries to photograph is Cedar Hill Cemetery in Vicksburg. Its row after row of beautiful and unique stone memorials never cease to amaze, awe, and inspire me.

Here are a few of my favorite monuments I've captured with my camera (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them and see the details, if you would like).

This one is my favorite ...



A true "southern gentleman" ...
(This monument stands in the Utica, MS cemetery)

The inscription reads:

"He was an honor to the earth on which he lived,
And worthy of the Heaven to which he has gone."

I hope you enjoyed this photo tribute to some of the truly awesome works of art in Cedar Hill Cemetery. I'm looking forward to visiting more old cemeteries in the spring, in hopes of capturing with my camera some of the exquisite heartrending beauty forever captured in stone in these old monuments.

7 comments:

Barbara said...

Oh such beautiful monuments. I also like to walk thru old cementaries. My daughter in law is majoring in history and would like to do reasearch in old cementaries. We will see if she can find a job.

Barbara

Marjorie (Molly) Smith said...

I love to go to old Cemeteries and I love to read the inscriptions on the stones. It tells a story from the past. You can almost tell what kind of person is buried there by the tribute left on there markers and the monuments are such work of arts.
Thanks for sharing these great photo.
Molly

Deb said...

such detail...I think it is great that you photograph and share with us...a great way to pass on history...

Loui♥ said...

What beautiful works of art..
thanks for preserving and sharing these wonderful tributes..
warm hugs..Loui♥

RachelD said...

Just stunning, Janie---the first one, with her graceful posture and fading wreath and her bare toes---perhaps her crumbling thumb has fallen unheeded into the blossoms in her hand.

And the one of the woman and child---it seems taken from a photograph, as they pose so seriously for the lens, with the hem-scallops and eyelet etched into the stone with a masterful hand. What meticulous attention to detail, indeed!

Thank you for these beautiful glimpses into the past and into the love for the ones passed on.

Donna said...

I like to visit old cemeteries myself. There is so much history to be found. I know since my daughter's passing last July I visit the cemetery at least once a day, although there are not any statutes like you have posted I walk around and look at the headstones and think about the person that is laid to rest.
Thanks for sharing,
Donna

Donna said...

Very nice, Janie.
Old tombstones are so interesting and pretty.

D