Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois

This statue in the Bohemian National Cemetery at Chicago, Illinois, is replete with rich symbolism. The mourning figure tenderly wipes her eye with the corner of the funeral pall in a sign of grief. She gently leans against a broken column in sorrowful resignation. The column represents a noble life cut short and the drapery represents a shroud symbolizing death and sorrow. The drapery can also be a motif that represents a veil that separates the Earth and Heaven.  In her other hand she holds a wreath which can be traced back to ancient Roman times representing victory.  In funerary art, it symbolizes victory over death through immortality.