If you follow my posts then you know I have a thing for cemetery photography. I went a little dark in my shots of Père Lachaise, but Isola di San Michele — Venice’s Isle of the Dead — created a much “lighter” experience.
Walking through the cemetery of Isola di San Michele felt like walking on the pages of a book, strolling between the long sentences of great literature and amidst the staves of the world’s great music. Some of those buried here include: Igor Stravinsky, Joseph Brodsky, Sergei Diaghilev, Ezra Pound and Luigi Nono.
To have the opportunity to tread lightly and photograph this historic cemetery was a wonderful experience. Space is very limited in this Island plot of the dead, and while the celebrity deceased may remain, others can only reside here temporarily. After ten years, their remains are exhumed and stored in an ossuary.
The sharpest element I noticed was the division between the Catholic and Protestant sections of the cemetery. The Catholic section, while much larger than the Protestant (or Other) area, was also much well tended and filled with flowers. People obviously cared for these graves and carried on a relationship with their dead. The Protestant side was somewhat decrepit, with grave stones tilting and decaying, tombs broken and weeds and roots choking the resting places.
Is this division a demonstration of the attitudes towards life after death between the two Christian sects?
Photographs from the Isle of the Dead
Approaching the Isle of the Dead by boat from Venice.
A small worn plaque embedded in a wall crypt. The saddest sculptured eyes I’ve seen.
Detail at the Cappella Emiliana chapel
Children stone angels in play.
The well tended Catholic section of the cemetery.
A Lady in Repose
Offerings on Sergei Diaghilev‘s grave.
The name we went looking for. Ezra Pound, the Poet.
The music in the spheres. Igor Stravinsky‘s grave right next to the grave of his wife, Vera.
Another angel.
A section of the wall.
A view from the beyond.
The very strange story of Princesse Trovbetzkoy.
Brodsky’s Place.
A final thought….
Photo Credits
All photos © 2010, Chrisholtphotos.com All Rights Reserved.
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Thanks for posting these. That fourth pic (the two angels) was pretty amazing.
Thanks Nathan. It,s a pretty amazing place and one could spend a lot of time there. Have a fantastic New Year.
Interesting articles and mesmerizing photos. Really makes one ponder the story behind the individuals buried there. A view from the beyond is kinda creepy.
Hey Chris, aren’t you afraid of the ghosties as you are wandering through the graveyards?
I’m not so afraid of them in the light of day, but you won’t see me sleeping in any tombs for shelter from the storm.
Fantastic images. I see much art in your photography. Keep up the good work.
Christopher – I enjoyed these photos immensely. I will be visiting in late March-early April and plan to photograph this cemetery. Did you find there to be any restrictions, such as no tripods or that a permit is required? I have run into a few ‘incidents’ in Paris and Rome cemeteries and so I try to check in advance. Thank you in advance for any info, Thank you for posting these beautiful images. Kathy
I had no trouble at all and I certainly didn’t see any signs restricting photography. I was only hand holding so a tripod would stick out a bit more, but when we were there there wasn’t a caretaker to be seen anyway. So short answer is I don’t think so, but I wasn’t looking either. I (tsk tsk) try to avoid looking for such signs and start shooting as soon as I can. I have had a few fingers wagged at me, especially in the Sienna Domo where I was trying to set up a tripod because it was so dark and I do respect the no flash around works of art (that’s a rule I won’t break as I know harsh light damages paint). The tripod attracted attention, but no problem when I put the camera on the floor. LOL
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Love to see the shot when you post them..maybe we could run a second story
Thank you so much for your quick reply. I will definitely send you a link to my photos after I return. And if I have any good stories – then I will consider a second story
When I was in Paris the first time, I walked into Montparnasse Cemetery and was turned away by a ‘guard’ who apparently told me I needed a permit for a tripod. I went back in a later trip with a monopod, carefully avoided that previous entrance and tried to pretend it was a walking stick. In Rome, I spent hours in Verano Cemetery only to have a couple of men stop me and get all excited and seemingly wanted me to erase my images. They wanted to see what I had taken. I showed them one and then went the other direction on the memory card and showed them the airport! Due to the language barrier, I just played dumb and agreed to leave immediately. I guess I am just a troublemaker. I don’t use flash either.
Ha…good trick on the memory card..and gotta love the monopod ..I much prefer that to a tripod which is always so awkward and almost impossible to be discreet.