The Protestant Cemetery in Rome: A Guide for Visitors by Johan Beck-Friis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I found this wonderful little book on eBay, so I have no idea how easy it might be to come by. All I know is that this morning, as I write this, neither Amazon or Goodreads has a listing for it.
The book contains several black-and-white reproductions of paintings of the Cestius pyramid at the edge of the graveyard. I enjoyed comparing my memories of it to the empty pastoral landscapes in the paintings.
The book also includes crisp photographs of the more recent gravestones. I especially like the photo of Keats’s grave, taken when the trees were bare to counteract the shadows that fall over the Parte Antica. There aren’t as many photos as I’d like, of course, and the black-and-white doesn’t do justice to the lush green grass or the huge chrysanthemums lying on Shelley’s stone, but it’s still a lovely book anyway.
The text summarizes the cemetery’s history and highlights some of its noteworthy denizens. Brief essays discuss Keats’ burial and Shelley’s funeral. Toward the back of the book, a fold-out map is keyed to an alphabetical list of permanent residents.
This guidebook is a find and well worth seeking out. I bought my copy on ebay, but you may occasionally find one on Amazon: The Protestant Cemetery in Rome: The cemetery of artists and poets
Pingback: Cemetery of the Week #8: The Protestant Cemetery of Rome | Cemetery Travel: Adventures in Graveyards Around the World