Rabboni

Rabboni is a stone sculpture at Rock Creek Cemetery showing a female figure rising from a granite recess. Her right arm lifts the fabric of her robe while her left arm extends forward, as though turning toward light.

The sculpture was created in 1909 by Gutzon Borglum as a memorial to Charles Matthews Ffoulke, a Washington banker and art collector who died that year. The work emerged during a period when Borglum was developing large-scale memorial commissions.

The name comes from Aramaic meaning 'my teacher'. The figure represents a moment of spiritual awakening that continues to draw visitors who see it as a symbol of personal transformation.

The work sits at Rock Creek Cemetery in the northern part of Washington D.C. and is best reached on foot. The cemetery grounds are accessible, and the sculpture lies along a quiet path near other historic graves.

The work was modeled on actress Edith Wynne Matthison, who was a prominent stage performer of her time. The sculpture bears inscribed text containing verses about mortality, remembrance, and the continuation of life.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Inception: 1909

Creator: Gutzon Borglum

GPS coordinates: 38.94836,-77.01118

Latest update: December 12, 2025 14:23