Woodlawn is known for the beautiful sculptures and unique works of art. Peace, love, sorrow, and hope are what these delicate figures symbolize, many of them inspired by classic statues found in Europe.  Among the most photographed is the Gerould Memorial, a replica of the famous Monteverde Angel in Staglieno, Cemetery.  Carved from marble, many of these romantic images are the work of Italian artists.

Several of Woodlawn’s marble statues were imported from Italy.  Monument dealers traveled to the port city of Genoa to purchase figures carved from the stone quarried at Carrara, where the mountains are made of a pure white marble.  Gradually, Italian carvers immigrated to New York City seizing the opportunities to provide statues, architectural details and other elaborate carvings for a city building mansions, churches and offices during the “Gilded Age.”