Angel of Resurrection by Jaco Verheul

About "Angel of Resurrection"

by Jaco Verheul

About the artwork

Perhaps the most famous statue in Genoa's Cimitero monumentale di Staglieno cemetery is the Monteverde angel. This angel was created by Giulio Monteverde in 1882 for the family tomb of Francesco Oneta, a wealthy banker.

This sensual angel leans gently on the marble stone in which the Oneta family names are engraved and looks thoughtfully ahead. She has one arm crossed in front of her breasts and one hand on a long trumpet, as if ready to announce Judgement Day. Her long wings frame her body and emphasise her forms. Her robe is twisted around her lower legs and falls over her feet, giving the impression that she was not made to walk and barely has contact with the ground. She hangs back slightly, with her belly forward and her chin down. As she peers forward with her head bowed, her gaze takes on something thoughtful. Monteverde has deeply incised the relief with which he indicates her eyelids, iris and pupil. This makes her gaze immediately striking, even though in the round little face with the slightly opened mouth in the distance, these eyes look right through everything.

The slight contrapost, curve of her belly, navel and breasts and the beautifully sculpted softness of her arms gives the sculpture an unmistakable sensuality. This angel is not an immaterial messenger of God and does not accompany you to Paradise. Rather, she is a detached witness who thoughtfully observes people's seemingly meaningless lives and deaths.

The daring sensuality of this statue for its time evoked many conflicting reactions, but is precisely why it is so appreciated. It has become Monteverdes most famous sculpture and is known as the Angelo della Resurrezione and one of the most beautiful angels ever sculpted.