Aspiotis Family Tomb

Corfu Heritage Foundation

Mr Haris Yiotis

Deputy Mayor of Daily Matters

Municipality of Corfu

Corfu, 28 August 2023

Dear Mr Yiotis,

Subject: Conservation initiative of the Aspiotis Family Tomb in the Municipal Cemetery of Corfu

On 23 August, the President of the Corfu Heritage Foundation Count Spiro Flamburiari sent a letter to the Head of Cemeteries of the Municipality of Corfu, Mr Spyros Vavaris, regarding our offer to conserve the Aspiotis Family Tomb. Today, after three working days, we received a call informing us that the Cemeteries Manager deals only with financial matters and that you are responsible for this matter.

One of the goals of the Corfu Heritage Foundation is to preserve historical monuments. I am active in this area, as a PhD art historian, who has experience in conservation matters during my tenure as curator of the collection of the American College of Greece (2004-2012) and of our Foundation’s collection (2016 to the present).

With this letter we bring to your attention as a subject the Aspiotis Family Tomb in the Municipal Cemetery of Corfu, an exceptional work of 1893 by the romantic sculptor Evangelos Kallos (1861-1931). In this important monument there were chronic natural damages, which we judged to be in need of urgent restoration. The attached three photos numbered from 1 to 3 show that the condition of the stone construction and decoration of the tomb was critical.

Therefore, the Corfu Heritage Foundation undertook to take care of the basic maintenance of the urgent matters as soon as possible. For this reason we thought it prudent – as it would take time for you to approve our offer in writing – to do the right thing at our own risk. Therefore, in this letter the four photographs numbered 4 to 7 record our beneficial interventions. We note that this initiative of ours was taken without your prior approval exceptionally due to the criticality of the situation of the monument in question.

We are given the opportunity here to point out that the cemeteries of historic cities, such as the Old Town of Corfu, are places of history, culture and heritage. Unfortunately, all the cemeteries of the city in question – Municipal, British, Jewish and Catholic – need permanent checks and life-saving interventions. We inform you, for future reference, that our Foundation offers to contribute to this specific need in a consultative and practical manner after consultation with your department.

Yours sincerely,

Magakles Rogakos

Communication Officer of the Corfu Heritage Foundation

Copies:

Mrs Meropi-Spyridoula Ydraiou, Mayor of Corfu

Count Spiro Flamburiari, Chairman of the Corfu Heritage Foundation

Letter of Dr Megakles Rogakos to Mr Haris Yiotis about the conservation initiative the Aspiotis Family Tomb in the Municipal Cemetery of Corfu, dated 28 August 2023.
1.- General view of the Aspiotis Family Tomb. The crown on the left wing is mutilated, but the top part is preserved precipitated behind the tomb, while on the right wing it is complete, but has been moved to the centre and remains out of view behind the monument.
2.- Partial view of the Aspiotis Family Tomb. The right part of the cornice of the left niche has disappeared, but is preserved precipitated at the back of the tomb.
3.- Detail of the Aspiotis Family Tomb. The base of the bust of Gerasimos Aspiotis (1844-1901) has broken into four pieces from the swelling of the iron rod that was unfortunately used as a stabilising agent from the beginning. This situation is critical and needs immediate corrective action.
4.- General view of the Aspiotis Family Tomb in its preserved form. The crown on the left wing has been reassembled with its finial section. The complete crown on the right wing has been moved from its invisible point, at the back of the monument, to its correct position, thus offering due symmetry to the overall monument.
5.- Detail from the left wing crown, focusing on the reassemblage of the base with its finial.
6.- Partial view of the Aspiotis Family Tomb showing the right part of the cornice of the left niche restored.
7.- Detail of the Aspiotis Family Tomb showing the base of the bust of Gerasimos Aspiotis (1844-1901) reassembled. The damaging iron rod was removed from the centre. The four fragments were affixed and securely support the weight of the bust which was in great danger of collapsing.

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