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Durango, Colorado Cemetery grave cherub
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Laurie Beth Zuckerman shares some of her favorite cherub photographs from Hispanic cemeteries around the Southwest. The image is an infant's head with upturned angel wings. A popular Catholic image, the term cherub was also mentioned multiple times in the Hebrew Bible. These cherubs are made of metal or plaster casts that are applied to the gravestone and then heavily painted, and even repainted. I have found this image in Texas, Arizona, and Southern Colorado. I don't seem to have any of them from New Mexico, strangely.
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Alpine, Texas cemetery grave cherub
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| Alamosa, Colorado cemetery cherub |
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| Alamosa, Colorado cemetery cherub |
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Nogales, Arizona cemetery grave angel.
The letters GR stand for "Gracias reciber" in Spanish
or in English "Thanks-receiving."
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oh i am so swept away by each cherub!
ReplyDeletethe patina and crackling of the cements and plasters have only endeared them to me more. today may they all stand guard, and a million more, to the land surrounding you, to the firefighters and animals, to the very air.
to answer your question on my sacred heart post, yes they are all my photographs. all the sepia ones were taken at an old family business in san miguel where generations later they still employ the same tools and templates. they fashioned the sacred hearts adorning mary.
i take all my groups there to marvel at this tradition of iron and silver making.
unusual, strange and haunting.....and very lovely grouping..
ReplyDeleteMy goodness! You've been everywhere with the cherubs!
ReplyDeleteDo You Hear the Joyful Sound?
A wonderful collection you have gathered. I always smile when I see the GR as they are my husbands initials and we always photograph those:)
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