Giuliano Cecchinelli, now 79 years old, is a classically trained sculptor whose signature look features a gray beard, a brown plaid shirt, and a floppy beret. His journey as a stone carver began in his youth in Italy, where he honed his craft. As he strolls through Barre’s Hope Cemetery, he reflects, “I know more than even the cemetery knows. You know, the family, the workers.” Giuliano embodies the rich heritage of Italian stone carvers who have shaped Barre, known as the “Granite Capital of the World.”
Established at the turn of the 20th century, Hope Cemetery is the final resting place of many early Italian stone carvers who contributed to the town’s transformation. Giuliano marvels at their craftsmanship, saying, “Those carvers way back then, they really had it… Look at the ripples; they look much more realistic than the real thing!” The artisans, primarily from northern Italy, were known for their unparalleled skills, which they carried with them when they migrated to Vermont in search of opportunities in the burgeoning marble and granite industries.
In the late 1800s, Barre became a hub for stonecutters, sculptors, and quarrymen from across Europe, with a substantial influx of Italian immigrants. At one point, nearly half of Barre’s population was comprised of immigrants, predominantly from Italy. Giuliano reminisces about old tombstones in the cemetery, particularly fond of one honoring Elia Corti, a sculptor shot at the Labor Hall. “He was a sculptor,” Giuliano notes, gesturing at the monument, “Look at the pneumatic tool… a compass. That’s a caliper.”

From Italian Roots to Vermont’s Granite Industry
Giuliano Cecchinelli’s lineage traces back through 20 generations of stone carvers. He lives in a cozy brown house north of Barre, adorned with art and statues, with dried flower bouquets scattered on the coffee table. As he reveals his hands, weathered and deformed from decades of carving, he notes, “See, they’re all deformed… But I mean what do you expect?” Having dedicated almost 70 years to stone carving, he began his journey in Carrara, Italy, renowned for its marble quarries that Michelangelo famously sourced.
At age 11, Giuliano attended art school, where his artistic talent was recognized early on. He recalls his first assignment involving a rough piece of stone: “They give you a rough piece of stone… then once you got one plane, you take a measurement, and you mark it.” His natural ability to perceive planes and perspective was admired by his professors.
In 1959, Giuliano’s father received a job offer at the Vermont Marble Company, leading the family to move to southern Vermont two years later. As a teenager, Giuliano found himself in Proctor after an eight-day voyage on the ship Christopher Columbus. He adapted to life in America, learning English while working alongside his father at the Vermont Marble Company. Upon graduating from Proctor High School in 1964, he inscribed the quote “The glory and good of art” next to his photo in the yearbook.
Following a brief stint at the Vermont Marble Company, Giuliano sought a position that would allow him to showcase his skills, landing a job at Buttura & Sons in Barre, where he became the youngest Italian stone carver in town at 22. “All the Italians, we used to gather… Today, it doesn’t work that way, because there aren’t that many Italians any longer,” he recalls, reflecting on the dwindling community.
The decline in Barre’s Italian population mirrored changes in the granite industry, which has undergone modernization and consolidation. Mark Gherardi, who owns Buttura & Gherardi Granite Artisans, observes that the number of manufacturers has halved since the 1970s due to automation and reduced demand for sculptural work. He expresses concern about losing the art of sculpting, stating, “We can’t get that human element that a sculptor can get… we’re going to lose an art unless we can find some younger people.”
Giuliano’s talent as a sculptor is widely recognized. Gherardi recalls a particular commission where Giuliano’s ability to capture emotion in a bust revealed his genius. “He created happy eyes from sad eyes,” Gherardi says, emphasizing Giuliano’s exceptional skill.

A Lasting Legacy in Stone
As Giuliano reflects on his life and career, he acknowledges the changes around him. His home, filled with art and memories, stands as a testament to his dedication. Since the passing of his wife, Julia, in 2015, he has lived alone, with his children grown and pursuing their own lives. Despite his age and declining health, he cannot imagine retiring. “But what can I say? Carving or sculpting is everything to me,” he insists. “If something happened [and] they stopped quarrying the granite, I mean, what would I do?”
Hope Cemetery, just down the road from his home, contains over 10,000 monuments, each bearing the mark of Giuliano’s unique artistry. “I got landscapes, I got portraitures, I got religious figures… It’s all the profession that I learned and now I put them to use,” he shares, emphasizing his commitment to his craft.
As the last Italian stone carver in Barre, Giuliano is aware that he embodies the final chapter of a centuries-old legacy. “I don’t know how long I’ll still be doing it,” he admits. “As long as I get up in the morning, I go to work.” In a world where change is inevitable, Giuliano Cecchinelli remains a steadfast guardian of a storied tradition, carving his way through time with every chisel stroke.
Source : https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2023-06-06/giuliano-cecchinelli-last-italian-stone-carver-barre-vermont