Entry No. 20 — the Cleveland file — filed under: outdoor
The Haserot Angel
Known as 'The Angel of Death Victorious,' this haunting life-sized bronze monument by sculptor Herman Matzen appears to weep black tears due to the natural oxidation of the bronze.
The story
When Cleveland canning entrepreneur Francis Haserot lost his wife in 1919, he commissioned Danish-born sculptor Herman Matzen to design a monumental grave marker for the family plot in Lake View Cemetery. Matzen, who taught at the Cleveland Institute of Art for 40 years, cast a life-sized bronze guardian seated on a marble bench. Officially titled The Angel of Death Victorious, the figure holds an upside-down, extinguished torch—a traditional funerary symbol for a life cut short.
While cemetery monuments often rely on grand scale, this piece became famous through unintended chemical reactions. Over decades, rain and atmospheric weathering reacted with the copper in the bronze. The resulting dark patina streams down the sculpture's eyes, nose, and chin, guided into narrow channels created by Matzen's original clay modeling. The runoff leaves permanent, oily-looking black streaks that make the figure appear to be perpetually weeping.
What it's like
Grab a free paper map at the cemetery gate or main office, because Lake View spans 280 acres and navigating to Section 9, Lot 14 can be tricky. First-time visitors are often caught off guard by the angel's scale—at human height, sitting quietly under a shade tree near the road, it is surprisingly easy to drive right past. Up close, the black oxidation streaks look almost wet against the bronze face. Before heading out, walk up the grassy hill directly across the road from the plot for a sweeping, elevated view looking back toward downtown Cleveland.
The move: Stroll through the historic, arboretum-like cemetery to find the Mark Hanna monument where the weeping angel sits, then pay your respects to local legends like Eliot Ness and John D. Rockefeller nearby.
- 📍 Lake View Cemetery
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 12316 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Bombed Thinker — Swap one weathered bronze monument for another just a mile away, where Rodin's heavy statue sits permanently scarred by a 1970 pipe bomb.
- Dittrick Medical History Center — Continue the macabre historic deep dive a mile down Euclid Avenue with Case Western's extensive collection of 19th-century surgical gear and medical curiosities.
- Judy's Hand Pavilion — For a total mood swing less than a mile down the road, trade solemn Victorian cemetery art for a surreal 21-foot fiberglass hand resting directly in the grass.
Good to know
Where inside Lake View Cemetery is the Haserot Angel located?
The statue is located in Section 9, Lot 14, set back near the Hanna Mausoleum. Maps are available at the main office near the entrance.
Why does the statue look like it is crying?
The crying effect is the result of natural metal oxidation. Rain and environmental exposure cause the copper in the aging bronze to form a dark patina, which drips down the sculpted grooves of the eyes and face.
Is it free to visit?
Yes, entering Lake View Cemetery and viewing the monument is completely free to the public.
What is the angel holding?
The figure holds an inverted, extinguished torch, which is a classic funerary motif symbolizing the end of a life.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Atlas Obscura · Wikipedia · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21