County of tombstone: Cooper County
Location of tombstone: Cemetery Dr. & Locust St., Walnut Grove Cemetery, Boonville
This is a limestone statue, not marble. As cemetery custodians have learned over the years, limestone does not hold up well. As a result, this angle statue has had it's head, arms and a foot broken off, either by storms (tree limbs falling) or grounds keepers. There seems to be no record of the catastrophe.
The statue is an angel about ½ human size is scale a top a young woman's gravestone. The angle seems to be running, and her gown, a Roman of Greek typical ancient robe, is flowing around her. Whether she had anything in her hands we will never know, since they are gone.
Tombstone Text:
(Front):
MARY E. DUNCAN
YOUNG
April 29, 1848
April 22, 1914
(Rear): To Our Mother
In Memoriam
"Tis human fortune's happiest height to be a spirit melodious, lucid, poised, and whole; Second in order of felicity
To walk with such a soul."
Running angel statues are a relatively uncommon depiction in cemeteries compared to other angel poses like weeping, praying, or pointing to heaven. However, angels in general are a highly prevalent and significant symbol in funerary art across various cultures and religions.
A running angel could symbolize the deceased's soul being guided rapidly towards the afterlife or heavenly realm. It might also suggest a swift or unexpected departure from earthly life, especially if combined with expressions of sorrow or grief. In some instances, it could represent an angel actively protecting the deceased's spirit or perhaps even a more dynamic portrayal of a guardian angel at work.
"The Winged Victory of Samothrace, or the Niké of Samothrace, is a votive monument originally discovered on the island of Samothrace in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It is a masterpiece of Greek sculpture from the Hellenistic era, dating from the beginning of the 2nd century BC (190 BC). It is composed of a statue representing the goddess Niké (Victory), whose head and arms are missing and its base is in the shape of a ship's bow.
"The total height of the monument is 5.57 metres (18 ft 3 in) including the socle; the statue alone measures 2.75 metres (9 ft 0 in). The sculpture is one of a small number of major Hellenistic statues surviving in the original, rather than Roman copies.
"Winged Victory has been exhibited at the Louvre in Paris, at the top of the main staircase, since 1884. Greece is seeking the return of the sculpture." ~ Wikipedia