Funerary monument in the ciborium type with sculpted figures and a seated statue of a woman. Sculptor: Dimitrios Filippotis (1839-1919)
According to the burial inscriptions, Dimos Georgoulas was born in 1808 and died in 1872. His monument, dedicated to his memory by his wife Maria, consists of an open ciborium of 4.85 m. high, with the bust of Dimos Georgoulas in the center. The ciborium has a pointed crown, supported by four octagonal columns with a Corinthian capital and an octagonal abacus in an arched shape, while cruciform domes are created inside. On each side rests a full-length female figure (about 1 m. tall) in neoclassical style, wearing a tunic. According to the inscriptions, they all symbolize the virtues of the deceased. On the front the figure of FAITH holds a book in her left hand and a cross in her right. On the left side the figure of CHARITY holds a baby in her arms. On the right side, the figure of JUSTICE holds a raised sword. Finally, the figure of HOPE on the back side of the ciborium holds an anchor in her right hand.
Although Maria Georgoula subsequently married Stylianos Kassimatis, in her testament (1886) she instructed that she be buried in the grave of her first husband and that her full-length statue be placed there. She passed away in 1889 leaving behind a large charitable work. In particular, she allocated a large part of her wealth to Hospitals, churches, as well as to the University of Athens. She also sponsored the studies of young people in the field of agriculture and the arts.
The sculptor Dimitrios Philippotis (Tinos, 1839-Athens, 1919) created her statue (height 1.50 m.), which today stands in front of the ciborium. Maria Cassimati is depicted full-length, dressed in the clothing of her time, sitting on an antique seat. In fact the synthesis is a completely realistic version of an ancient Greek model of the 4th BC. century, which passed to Agrippina and Agia Eleni in the 4th AD. century and Napoleon's mother Letizia Ramolino Bonabarte (1804-1807) by Antonio Canova, to end up in "Penelope" (1873) by Leonidas Drosis. Τhe plaster model is in the National Gallery in Athens. The erection of the statue of such a dynamic female personality and the commemorative inscription on her tomb that perpetuates her great philanthropic activity and social contribution indicate the changing position of women in the modern Greek society, the last quarter of the 19th century.
At the bottom of the base there is the inscription: Δ. ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΤΗΣ / ΤΗΝΙΟΣ ΕΠΟΙΕΙ / ΑΘΗΝΑ 1890 (Made by D. Filippotis from Tinos, Athens 1890).
City of Athens, Department of Cultural Heritage, 2022
@ text: Georgia Antonopoulou, Katerina Tsatoucha
@ photos: Victoria Kaisari