Black Angel, (sculpture).

Black Angel, (sculpture).

Korbel, Mario Joseph, 1882-1954, sculptor.

Florentine Brotherhood Foundry, founder.

Black Angel, (sculpture).

Feldevert Monument, (sculpture).

1913. Installed autumn 1913.

Digital Reference:

Angel: bronze; Base: Barre granite; Footing: concrete.

Angel: approx. 9 ft. 3 in. x 8 ft. 10 in. x 7 ft.; Base: approx. 3 ft. 2 in. x 4 ft. 5 in. x 4 ft. 3 in.

(On base right, near hem of garment:) J. M. Korbel sc (on south edge of base:) Florentine Brotherhood Fdy/Chicago, IL (On base, raised:) RODINA FELDEVERTOVA/(Inscriptions in Bohemian follow)/(Translation of Bohemian on right base:) For me the sun is setting behind/the clouds-and time has passed without happiness during the day/of life. However, make every effort to do your best. Fold your hands in saintly fashion and/bow your head and let your soul/fly to eternity. Now you will/receive your long awaited reward/in thereafter. signed Founder's mark appears.

Angel, black in coloring, stands in robes with a large set of wings. The proper right wing is fully extended with the angel's arm under it, while the proper left hangs down the back. The angel stands atop a square, inscribed base that is a gravemarker.

Religion -- Angel

Homage -- Feldevert, Nicholas

Homage -- Dolezal, Eddie

Homage -- Feldevert, Teresa

Outdoor Sculpture -- Iowa -- Iowa City

Administered by Oakland Cemetery caretaker, 410 East Washington Street, Civic Center, Iowa City, Iowa 52240

Located Oakland Cemetery, 1000 Brown Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240

The Black Angel stands next to an earlier gravemarker for Eddie Dolezal comprised of a cement tree trunk with cross at top, chopping stump with axe embedded, lily stalk with severed flower. Incised on tree stump: EDDIE DOLEZAL/Like a bud just opening/commenced my life to be/but death came without mercy/without pity/The Lord had sent for me/I was not granted time to bid adieu/Do not weep for me dear brother/I am at peace in my cool grave.

The Black Angel, as it is popularly known as, was commissioned by Teresa Dolezal Feldevert, for herself, her husband and her son Eddie. Teresa Dolezal was born in 1836 in Strmilov, Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) and came to Iowa City as a young woman. She was a nurse by profession. While in Iowa City, her son Eddie (1873-1891) died. Teresa Dolezal erected a tree stump monument as a gravemarker for her son, prior to moving to Oregon to be married to Nichlas Feldevert. In 1911, upon Mr. Feldevert's death, she commissioned Korbel to design the Black Angel monument. The monument arrived in Iowa City Nov. 21. 1912, but because of patron displeasure, was not erected until 1918. At that time, the earlier tree stump monument was moved and placed next to the newer gravestone. Teresa died in 1924.

IAS files contain newsclipping from Des Moines Register, March 5, 1933; and a copy of unpublished paper written by student Gerald R. DeSchepper. which documents history of monument. A second SOS! survey from June 1996 lists condition of sculpture as "well maintained."

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Iowa survey, 1995.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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