Tomb of Jacques François Ardaillon (..?.- 1826), ironmaster.

Tomb of Jacques François Ardaillon (..?.- 1826), ironmaster.

While walking around Père-Lachaise Cemetery last Summer I happen upon the rare and amazing Neoclassical Greek Revival style tomb of Jacques François Ardaillon, ironsmith.  The tomb is very unusual because of the form. Built on a stone foundation the rest is made of cast iron possibly by Jacques himself. The main body of the tomb is rectangular shape with central rounded middle top with a Doric columned pedimented portico, topped with a cross.  Inside of the portico is a cast iron draped urn.  After the cross, the urn is one of the most commonly used cemetery monuments. The design represents a funeral urn, and is thought to symbolize immortality. 

Cremation was an early form of preparing the dead for burial. In some periods, especially classical times, it was more common than burial. The shape of the container in which the ashes were placed may have taken the form of a simple box or a marble vase, but no matter what it looked like it was called an "urn," derived from the Latin uro, meaning "to burn."

As burial became a more common-practice, the urn continued to be closely associated with death.

The urn is commonly believed to testify to the death of the body and the dust into which the dead body will change, while the spirit of the departed eternally rests with God.

The cloth draping the urn symbolically guarded the ashes. The shroud-draped urn is believed by some to mean that the soul has departed the shrouded body for its trip to heaven. Others say that the drape signifies the last partition between life and death.

This tomb is not in the best of condition. 

On one of the doors is a Owl which represents Wisdom & watchfulness.

Under the Owl are two Scythes representing the Reaping of life.

Detail of the Owl 

The photo is not crooked, the tomb is leaning and missing the door on this side. 

The cast iron Tomb of Jean-François Chagot (1750-1824)

The cast iron Tomb of Jean-François Chagot (1750-1824)

While walking around Père-Lachaise Cemetery last Summer I happen upon the rare and amazing Neoclassical Greek Revival style tomb of Jean-François Chagot (1750-1824) made of cast iron. 19th century cast iron tombs are rare. Cast iron was much less expensive than marble and was a new material for making tombs in the 19th Century coupled with the ease of making more intricate patterns and designs. The choice of cast iron for the building instead of marble or granite for the tomb of Jean-François Chagot, however, was likely due to the fact that he owned a iron foundry outside of Paris. Not only were fences and tombs made of cast iron during the 19th century but also coffins. 

Jean-François Chagot (1750-1824), merchant and property manager, a shareholder of various companies, finally director and owner of Le Creusot Blanzy and coal mines. Married in 1786, he had 6 children. 

A Roman Urn Incense Tripod Burner

Note the Greco-Roman amphora vases at the bottom of the tomb. 

The top of the Tomb has a Greek Pediment topped with urn. 

The rare painted marble Tomb of Gervais Fournier

The painted Tomb of Gervais Fournier (1771-1830) - Justice of the Peace of St. Germain / Kight of the Legion of Honor.  

Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise, Paris - France.

While walking around Père-Lachaise Cemetery last Summer I happen upon the rare and amazing painted Tombs of Gervais Fournier and his wife Adélde Margaret Fournier. These Greek Revival styled tombs are amazing because the fronts of the tombs are Neoclassical painted stone. In all of the historic cemeteries I have visited all over the world this was the first time I saw painted inscription and designs on a stone tombs instead of carved into the stone. You have painted on the stone two upside down torch represents the end of life. And a Wreath meaning Victory in death.  

The painted tomb of Adélde Margaret Fournier is a little bit earlier and dates to 1827, it has more wear than the pointed front of Gervais Fournier tomb. The front of Adélde's tomb is painted with a weathered floral wreath. 

Ici repose Mme Adélde Margte Fournier, vexp en 1re noces de Mr Ri Em Jarry, épouse en 2èmes de Mr G. Fournier, née à Paris le 17 Xbre 1763, décédée à St Germain en Laye le 25 7bre 1827

The rare and beautiful painted marble Tombs of Gervais Fournier and his wife Adélde Margaret Fournier. 

The two Greek Revival tombs together. 

Silence (1842), Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

Silence (1842), Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

While walking around Père-Lachaise Cemetery last Summer I happen upon the amazing tombstone with the famous sculpture "Silence" by Antoine-Augustin Préault (October 6, 1809 - January 11, 1879) a French sculptor of the "Romantic" movement. Born in the Marais district of Paris, he was better known during his lifetime as Auguste Préault.

A student of David d'Angers, Préault first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1833. He was not favorably looked upon by some of the artistic community's elite due to his outspokenness and because he was part of the circle of activists who participated in the French Revolution of 1830. During that period of turmoil, Préault's studio was vandalized and many of his plaster models were destroyed. As a result of these circumstances his work has been largely overshadowed by his contemporaries.

Antoine-Augustin Préault died in Paris in 1879 and was interred in the Père Lachaise Cemetery.

Préault's enigmatic composition called "Le Silence" used on the tomb of Jacob Roblès

Jacob Roblès / né au Port-au-Prince (St-Domingue) / le 13 April 1782 / mort à Paris le 10 March 1842

In this tomb Préault succeeded in symbolizing the impassable frontier separating the world of the living from that of the dead.