Angel
The sculpture, known as the Umlauf Angel, keeps watch over the front section of the City of Lubbock Cemetery. The Angel, by internationally known sculptor Charles Umlauf, was commissioned by the City in 1958.
By 1994, things were looking bad, as she had developed cracks due to weathering. Restoration in 1995 and 1996 was successful. Sort of: only a few days after the restored sculpture was complete vandals (two high school boys, later arrested) chipped away at the wing tips, causing $1,200 in damages.
She’s fine these days, casting her gaze skyward amidst the gravestones.
The City of Lubbock Cemetery
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 2.3.2009
Posted on December 16, 2013, in Cemetery, Photography and tagged 365 photo project, black and white photography, cemetery, charles umlauf, city of lubbock cemetery, lubbock, lubbock texas, melinda green harvey, monochrome, one day one image, photo a day, photography, texas. Bookmark the permalink. 12 Comments.
One Day | One Image 
It’s a beautiful statue and I love the photo. What kind of Texas justice was laid out for the vandals?
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Thanks. I am very fond of the statue, which is close to my mom’s grave. (It is also close to Buddy Holly’s grave.)
All I could find was that the vandals were arrested and “were convicted.” No word on restitution or jail time or anything.
I did see this quote, by the local newspaper’s arts/entertainment editor, William Kerns, who ended his article on the vandalism this way: Why take a hammer to an angel, a symbol of God’s guardianship in a place as sacred as a cemetery? Why indeed.
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This is a beautiful photograph of an incredible sculpture. The asymetrical composition is just perfect. Thanks for sharing this!
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Thanks. I like this sculpture quite a bit, and have tried several times to get a photo that I think does it justice.
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That statue has such graceful elegance and flowing lines. And nothing to distract beyond it. Beautifully captured, Melinda
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Thanks, Andy. I am very fond of this statue, for the very things you pointed out: its gracefulness and the flowing lines.
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Beautiful, so serene and perfect light! Happy holiday, Ron
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Thanks, Ron. I am very fond of this sculpture; the more I look at it, the more things I find that I like.
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This photo really does do justice to the statue – very nicely captured. You mother (and Buddy Holly) are lucky to lie near such art. May it last.
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Thanks! My mom and Buddy did end up in a nice neighborhood!
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