Hello!

I found a picture on the internet in 1997 of a sad angel mourning over
a grave stone and have always been intrigued with it. Since then, I've
found it crop up on a couple of Live Journals as icons and also found
it as a buddy icon on, of all places, America Online.

Here are three representations of the picture of the grave stone. 

http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v67/sillybridget/ashen2.gif

http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v67/sillybridget/448399.jpg

http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v67/sillybridget/91067.gif

I had been told that it was a grave marker erected by a man for his
wife, but I don't know if this is true or where the person heard it
from.

What I am seeking:

+ Where is this marker located?
+ What is the story behind it? (i.e. who made it, why, for whom, etc.)
(Please provide links)
+ Is there an inscription? If so, what does it say?
+ A larger, quality photo of it or where to get one.

The photo may be a bit obscure but I'm hoping someone out there had
heard of it or seen it and can find out this info for me.

Thanks!

Is it this?

http://www.thecemeteryproject.com/Cemeteries/cemetery-testacchio-protestant-rome-italy.htm

---

Clarification of Answer by scriptor-ga on 04 Apr 2004 18:03 PDT

I posted my clarification request as an answer by accident...if I am
correct, I will of course write a full answer tomorrow, otherwise it
will be removed.

Scriptor

---

Request for Answer Clarification by filian-ga on 04 Apr 2004 18:08 PDT

Whoo hoo, yes that's the one! The site says a less famous artist -- is
there a way to find out who it is/was? The stone says something
"Story" Is it "Emma"? Can't quite tell from that angle. Such a
beautiful statue! Your forthcoming full answer is most appreciated! I
will be looking forward to it muchly:)

---

Clarification of Answer by scriptor-ga on 04 Apr 2004 18:13 PDT

Very good! I have already found some facts. Unfortunately, I must stop
the work now, but I will deliver a more extensive answer in about 12
hours.

Best regards,
Scriptor

---

Clarification of Answer by scriptor-ga on 05 Apr 2004 10:05 PDT

Dear filian.

Here are the results of my research on the grave monument:


- Location -

The grave with the "Angel of Grief" monument is located at the
Testaccio Protestant Cemetery in Rome, Italy. Here is the address of
the cemetery and contact information for the administration office:

Cemetery address:

Cimitero acattolico
Via Caio Cestio, 6
00153 Roma
ITALY

Office:

Cimitero acattolico
Direzione
Via Nicola Zabaglia, 45
00153 Roma
ITALY
--
Phone/Fax: +39(0)6-5741900
E-Mail: mail@protestantcemetery.it
Website: http://www.protestantcemetery.it/


- Background -

The "Angel of Grief" adorns the tomb of American poet and sculptor
William Wetmore Story (1819-1895) and his wife Emelyn Eldredge Story
(born 1820).

"Mrs. William Wetmore story, née Emelyn Eldredge of Boston, married
the American poet, essayist, and sculptor in 1843 and lived with him
in Rome from 1847. Henry James quotes him as saying, "She was my life,
my joy, my stay and help in all things" (William Wetmore Story and His
Friends [Boston, 1904], II, 316). James described "the admirable
efficacy" of Mrs. Story's presence in her husband's career -- a
presence indefatigably active and pervasive, productive in a large
measure of what was best and happiest in it" (II, 317). They
celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary in October 1893, she died
shortly thereafter in the spring of 1894, and he followed in the next
year."

Source:
The Sarah Orne Jewett Text Project: Jewett to Dresel - 33 Letters
http://www.public.coe.edu/~theller/soj/let/dresel.html

Emelyn Story's dying date from the text above, however, does not match
with the inscriptions on the monument itself.

Some additional background description:

Stanford Sculptures: Angel of Grief
http://www.jordan.palo-alto.ca.us/staff/lgoldman/public/mmart2/kimberley/research.html

Funeral Consumers Alliance of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties:
Cemeteries in SF Peninsula and South Bay
http://www.funeralconsumerinfo.org/listofcemeteries.html


- Inscription -

The inscriptions on the monument reveal that it is the last work of
Emelyn's widower, William Westmore Story. The inscription on the east
side reads:

THIS MONUMENT	
THE LAST WORK OF W.W.STORY.	
EXECUTED IN MEMORY OF HIS BELOVED WIFE ROMA 1895	
HE DIED AT VALLOMBROSA OCTOBER 7TH 1895	
AGED 78 YEARS

The other inscriptions read:

(South side)
EMELYN STORY

(West side)
BORN	
BOSTON	
U.S.A	
OCT 1820

(East side, in addition to the text cited above)
DIED	
ROMA	
JAN 7 1895

Source:
Danish Science Institute in Rome: The Protestant Cemetery Catalogue - Stone #99
http://www.dkinst-rom.dk/protcem/work/pcAM.html#Stone99


- Photos -

Here is a large photo of the entire monument:
http://www.thecemeteryproject.com/images/Famous%20Dead%20People%202/location-Sad%20Angel%20Grave%20-%20Rome,%20Italy.jpg
Source:
The Cemetery Project - Testacchio Protestant Cemetery
http://www.thecemeteryproject.com/Cemeteries/cemetery-testacchio-protestant-rome-italy.htm

An exact copy of the monument (except for the inscriptions) can be
found at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, CA. I also provide links
to those images because their quality is excellent and they give a
good impression of what the statue looks like:
http://sandstead.com/images/san_fran/cypress/STORY_WW_Angel_of_Grief_for_Ann_R_Pool_Cypress_Lawn_Memorial_Park_LS_d100_01.jpg
http://sandstead.com/images/san_fran/cypress/STORY_WW_Angel_of_Grief_for_Ann_R_Pool_Cypress_Lawn_Memorial_Park_LS_d100_02.jpg
http://sandstead.com/images/san_fran/cypress/STORY_WW_Angel_of_Grief_for_Ann_R_Pool_Cypress_Lawn_Memorial_Park_LS_d100_03.jpg
Source:
Lee Sandstead, Art Historian: Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, founded 1892
http://sandstead.com/images/san_fran/cypress/

A large photo of the original monument in Rome, unfortunately not
perfect in quality:
http://www.forum-rom.de/friedhof/engel.jpg
Source:
Forum Rom: Der "Protestantische Friedhof" in Rom
http://www.forum-rom.de/friedhof/friedhof%204.htm


- Websites -

On these websites, you can find images of the original "Angel of
Grief" on the Protestant Cemetery:

Begraafplats.org: W.W. Story en Emelyn Story
http://www.begraafplaats.org/bp/i/rome/protestant/emelyn_story.html

Magicdog: the protestant cemetery
http://www.magicdog.com/journal/photos/italy/cemetery.html


Sources:

wGuides.com: Rome - Cimitero Protestante
http://www.wguides.com/city/10/158_10572.cfm


Search terms used:
"sad angel" 
http://images.google.de/images?q=%22sad%20angel%22%20&hl=de&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&sa=N&tab=wi
testaccio cimitero
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=testaccio+cimitero&btnG=Google-Suche
"Via Caio Cestio, 6"
://www.google.de/search?q=%22Via+Caio+Cestio%2C+6%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=de&btnG=Google-Suche
"sad angel" Testaccio
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22sad+angel%22+Testaccio&btnG=Google-Suche
Testaccio angel
://www.google.de/search?q=Testaccio+angel&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=de&btnG=Google-Suche
"emelyn story"
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22emelyn+story%22&btnG=Google-Suche
"wetmore story" emelyn
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22wetmore+story%22+emelyn&btnG=Google-Suche
"angel of grief"
http://www.alltheweb.com/search?cat=img&cs=utf8&q=%22angel+of+grief%22

Hop this is what you were looking for!
Rergards,
Scriptor

Beautiful! Thank you so much for providing everything I requested. The
photographs are awesome as well. I'm so glad to finally find out the
background on this sad and beautiful gravestone which is my favorite
and very artistic. Thanks for an excellent answer and provided so
quickly, too!

You can actually purchase a replica of the statue (desk top size or
lawn ornament size) from Toscano @ DesignToscano.com
Their address is 1400 Morse Avenue, Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007
1-800-525-0733