A visit to a cemetery usually involves placing flowers on a loved one’s grave, and remembering them in our prayers and thoughts. We seldom pay much attention to the rest of the cemetery. But a walk through a cemetery is a much different event. Unlike the visit to a particular grave, there is no set destination. We move around almost aimlessly, as if we are walking in a park, we are not looking for anything other than something that catches our eye. We are drawn to the unusual.

Graves for the most part are anonymous. Commonly, the headstones provide only a name and a date; we only know the barest information of the people buried there. The family name, or, simply “mother”, “father”, etc. and the shortness of their lives, it provides no history into the lives. Their accomplishments, or the love and happiness that they brought to others goes unsaid. If we are lucky, the families have provided something more, a monument that in someway opens a window into their life. This monument that not only marks their final resting place, also becomes a touchstone. The sculpture takes on the visual role of an autobiography. Much like the sculpture in medieval cathedrals, that was used to illustrate the Bible to the illiterate common folk. It becomes the story of their life. Our total fantasies about their lives are a reflection of decoding these monuments. Surprisingly we can draw volumes of information from a well thought out monument. The sacrifice of life by a soldier, the eternal love in a marriage, or accomplishments of a lifetime of  labor, and the faith in eternal life, is easily defined. Granted, these are the monuments that the families have decided that they want to represent the defining point of their loved ones life, but we freely believe these to be the representational of their lives. It is really no matter to us if these are the truth, or lies, for we will never take the time to research any of these lives. We move through the graveyard as we would move through a museum. Viewing the sculpture, gathering whatever information we choose to accept, and moving on, thinking that we have some insight in to others life’s.

If this sort of thing appeals to you, there is no better cemetery than The Monumental Cemetery in Milan, Italy. First opened in 1866, it contains over six thousand monuments and an astounding group of magnificent group of mausoleums. It may be said that this cemetery is the last one you will ever need.

These photos are but a small part of a 2 Volume set that is self published and can be purchased through "Amazon" on line book publishers.

There are about 125 images per book. 

https://www.blurb.com/b/1787149-a-walk-through-the-monumental-cemetery-milan-volum

https://www.blurb.com/b/1770457-a-walk-through-the-monumental-cemetery-milan-volum