Eternal Silence

At Graceland Cemetery in Chicago stands the striking bronze sculpture Eternal Silence, created in 1909 by sculptor Lorado Taft. The work, also known as the Dexter Graves Monument, commemorates an early settler leader who brought a group of families to Chicago in 1831. The 10-foot-tall figure shows a hooded, cloaked Death in the Art Nouveau style, seated on a black granite base in front of another block of granite. The dark stone forms a strong contrast to the heavily oxidized bronze, which now bears its natural green patina after having been polished in earlier years. The figure, which draws on traditional Grim Reaper imagery, is often described by visitors as eerie, mysterious, and ghostly. One of Taft's most important works, the statue is considered the most unforgettable monument in the cemetery and has even inspired other artists such as Claes Oldenburg.