Jacques ARDAILLON
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Ironmaster.
Ardaillon was an ironmaster, and his tomb is wholly of iron: the material of his life served him as a monument. The case is rare here, where stone reigns everywhere. Dead in Paris in 1826, at fifty-nine, he was granted a work that the first guide to the cemetery, published two years later, judged remarkable. Today, the cast iron is turning to rust.
The story
His tomb is made entirely of iron. The material is explained by the trade: Jacques François Ardaillon was an ironmaster, and his grave is made of what he lived by. Père-Lachaise has few metal tombs; that of Jean-François Chagot, in Division 41, is the other notable example.
Born in 1767, he died at fifty-nine in Paris, in the 2nd arrondissement, in December 1826, and was buried on the 29th. An address was delivered at his graveside by Gay that day, and the monument was remarkable enough to appear as early as 1828 in Le Conducteur au cimetière de l'Est ou du Père Lachaise, by Marchant de Beaumont.
The inscription runs to two words: “Sépulture ARDAILLON.” Two centuries later the cast iron is reported in poor condition by the cemetery association — the risk of metal graves, which corrosion attacks where stone merely takes on a patina.
The grave
A tomb entirely of iron — the material of his trade, since he was an ironmaster. The monument was remarkable enough to appear as early as 1828 in Le Conducteur au cimetière de l'Est ou du Père Lachaise, by Marchant de Beaumont. The inscription, for its part, runs to two words: “Sépulture ARDAILLON” — the Ardaillon grave. The cast iron is today in poor condition: that is the risk of metal tombs, which corrosion attacks where stone merely weathers.
On site, do not miss
A tomb entirely of iron, today reported in poor condition. The inscription runs to two words: “Sépulture ARDAILLON.” — the Ardaillon grave.
Visitors' questions
Where is Ardaillon's grave?
In Division 39, chemin Camille-Jordan, first row. You know it by its material: the tomb is made entirely of iron, which his trade as an ironmaster explains. The inscription runs to two words.
Denis DecrèsWhy an iron grave?
Because he was an ironmaster: the monument is made of the material he lived by. The cemetery holds few metal graves; that of Jean-François Chagot, in Division 41, is the other notable one.
Jean-François ChagotIs the monument well preserved?
No: the cast iron is reported to be in poor condition by the Friends of the cemetery. That is the risk with metal graves, open to corrosion where stone merely takes on a patina.
Jean-François CailWhat is known of his death?
He died at fifty-nine in Paris, in the 2nd arrondissement, in December 1826, and was buried on 29 December — a eulogy was delivered over his grave by Gay that day.
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