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The
Spirit of Sacrifice Cenotaph
Photo Courtesy Lori Martin |
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Sculptor:
Pompeo Coppini
Architect: Carlton Adams
Base: Rodriquez Brothers Memorials
Funded 1936 - Begun 1937 - Completed 1939
South Alamo
and East Crockett Streets
Alamo Plaza in San Antonio, Texas
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the Greek words kenos, (empty) and taphos, (tomb) - cenotaphs are
tombs or monuments erected to honor a person or persons whose remains
are elsewhere or their whereabouts unknown. Quite frequently cenotaphs
are erected for soldiers killed in distant places or sailors lost
at sea. Texas has many such empty tombs, some of them modest tombstones
in humble cemeteries. This one in San Antonio's
Alamo Plaza is sometimes referred to as "The" Cenotaph. |
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west side of the base showing the figures of Travis and others that
appear in two photos below. Figure of woman facing north (far left
with garland) symbolizes the state of Texas. TE Photo April 2001 |
The
base of the sculpture is 12 feet by 40 feet and it rises to a height
of 60 feet. While Coppini had preferred to show the men in battle
- the cenotaph had been designed by Carlton Adams before Coppini was
chosen as sculptor.
Some believe that the monument is built where many of the Alamo
defenders were put to death after the fall. Others believe the corpses
of the dead defenders were piled here and unceremoniously burned.
In a newspaper article, writer J. Frank Dobie compared the piece to
a grain elevator - and even Coppini agreed with Dobie that the figures
looked as though they were assembling for a portrait.
(Dobie on another occasion had stated that Coppini had "littered"
the state of Texas with his work, but here the two men agreed. To
our knowledge, Coppini never critiqued Dobie's writing.)
The Cenotaph was one of the largest works of famed Italian-born sculptor
Pompeo Coppini whose other works include statues in Ballinger,
Galveston,
Gonzales, Victoria,
Austin and at least four
more pieces in San Antonio - including
his own elaborate tombstone. Three other Coppini works can be found
within walking distance of the Cenotaph - one over the doorway of
the old San Antonio News Office and two huge bronze doors on the Scottish
Rite building just a few blocks north of the Alamo.
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Coppini work - a bas-relief over main entrance of a building two blocks
north of Alamo square. TE Photo April
2001 |
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Texas Collection of Baylor University has a large file on Coppini
and his "adopted" daughter - Waldine
Tauch. Within the file are photos of Coppini at work on the cenotaph
figures. As you can see in these photos - he went to extraordinary
lengths, even working on the musculature of the figures - even before
adding the clothing. |
The
figures on the west side as they appeared in clay.
Photo Courtesy The Texas Collection, Baylor University |
The
same figures after being "clothed."
Photo Courtesy The Texas Collection, Baylor University |
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south side of the main shaft has the 25-foot bas-relief figure - Spirit
of Sacrifice - and the north face has a female figure representing
Texas. The east and west faces have larger-than-life statues of various
Alamo defenders. Bowie and Bonham on the east face and Travis and
Crockett on the west face. |
The
figures on the far right of the west side. Pompeo Coppini at work.
Photo Courtesy The Texas Collection, Baylor University |
The marker
reads:
Erected
in Memory of the Heroes who sacrificed their lives at the Alamo,
March 6, 1836 in the defense of Texas,
"They chose never to surrender nor retreat, these brave hearts with
flag still proudly waving perished in the flames of immortality that
their high sacrifice might lead to the founding on this Texas." |
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