Who is the author of the Bronze Horseman monument? Bronze Horseman (monument)

28.04.2019

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Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg - a monument to Peter I

The Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg is the most famous monument Peter I. It is located in an open park on Senate Square and is a unique piece of Russian and world culture. The Bronze Horseman is surrounded by famous sights: the buildings of the Senate and the Synod are located in the west, the Admiralty in the east, and St. Isaac's Cathedral in the south.

The history of the creation of the monument
The initiative to create a monument to Peter I belongs to Catherine II. It was by her order that Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Golitsyn turned to the professors of the Paris Academy of Painting and Sculpture Diderot and Voltaire, whose opinion Catherine II completely trusted. Notable masters recommended for this work Etienne-Maurice Falcone, who worked at that time as the chief sculptor at porcelain factory... “There is an abyss of fine taste, intelligence and delicacy in him, and at the same time he is uncouth, harsh, does not believe in anything. .. He does not know selfishness, ”Diderot wrote about Falcone.

Etienne-Maurice Falcone always dreamed of monumental art and, having received an offer to create an equestrian statue of colossal size, agreed without hesitation. On September 6, 1766, he signed a contract in which the remuneration for the work was determined in the amount of 200 thousand livres, which was a fairly modest amount - other masters asked for much more. The 50-year-old master came to Russia with a 17-year-old assistant Marie-Anne Collot.
Opinions about the appearance of the future sculpture were very different. Thus, the President who supervised the creation of the monument Imperial Academy arts Ivan Ivanovich Belskoy presented the sculpture of Peter I, who stood in full height with a rod in his hand. Catherine II saw the emperor riding a horse with a staff or scepter, and there were other suggestions. So, Diderot conceived a monument in the form of a fountain with allegorical figures, and State Councilor Shtelin sent Belsky detailed description of his project, according to which Peter I was to appear surrounded by allegorical statues of Prudence and Diligence, Justice and Victory, which support the vices of Ignorance and Laziness, Deception and Envy with their feet. Falcone rejected the traditional image of the victorious monarch and abandoned the depiction of allegories. “My monument will be simple. There will be no barbarism, no love of peoples, no personification of the People ... I will confine myself only to the statue of this hero, whom I do not interpret either as a great commander or as a winner, although he, of course, was both. The personality of the creator, legislator, benefactor of his country is much higher, and this is what it is necessary to show to people, ”he wrote to Diderot.

Work on the monument to Peter I
Falcone created a model of sculpture on the territory of the former temporary Winter Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna from 1768 to 1770. Two horses of the Orlov breed Caprice and Brilliant were taken from the imperial stables. Falcone made sketches, watching as the officer of the Guards took off on a horse to the platform and put it on its hind legs. Falcone altered the model of the head of Peter I several times, but did not get the approval of Catherine II, and as a result, she successfully sculpted the head of the Bronze Horseman.
Marie-Anne Collot.

The face of Peter I turned out to be courageous and strong-willed, with a wide open eyes and illuminated by deep thought.

For this work, the girl was accepted as a member of the Russian Academy of Arts and Catherine II awarded her a life pension of 10,000 livres.
The snake under the horse's feet was made by the Russian sculptor Fyodor Gordeev.

The plaster cast of the Bronze Horseman was completed by 1778 and opinions on the work were mixed. If Diderot was satisfied, then Catherine II did not like the arbitrarily chosen appearance of the monument.

Casting of the Bronze Horseman
The sculpture was conceived of colossal dimensions and the foundry workers did not undertake this complex work. Foreign craftsmen demanded a lot of money for casting, and some frankly said that casting would not succeed. Finally, there was a foundry, a cannon master Emelyan Khailov, who took up the casting of the Bronze Horseman. Together with Falcone, they selected the composition of the alloy and made samples. The difficulty was that the sculpture had three points of support and therefore the thickness of the walls of the front of the statue had to be small - no more than one centimeter.

During the first casting, the pipe through which the bronze was poured burst. In despair, Falcone ran out of the workshop, but the master Khailov was not taken aback, took off his army jacket and wet it with water, smeared it with clay and applied it like a patch to the pipe. Risking his life, he prevented a fire, although he himself received burns to his hands and partially damaged his eyes. The upper part of the Bronze Horseman was still damaged, it had to be cut down. Preparations for the new casting took another three years, but this time it went well and in honor of the successful completion of the work, the sculptor left the inscription in one of the folds of Peter the Great's cloak "Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falcone, Parisian of 1788".

Installing the Bronze Horseman
Falcone wanted to erect a monument on a wave-shaped pedestal carved from a natural piece of rock. It was very difficult to find the necessary block 11.2 meters high, and therefore the newspaper "St. Petersburg News" published an appeal to individuals wishing to find a suitable piece of rock. And soon the peasant Semyon Vishnyakov, who had long noticed a suitable block near the village of Lakhta, responded and reported this to the head of the prospecting work.

The weight of the monolith is about 1600 tons and called the Thunder-stone, according to legend, lightning hit it and broke off a piece of the lump. To deliver the stone, piles were driven in, a road was laid, a wooden platform was made moving along two parallel grooves, in which 30 balls made of copper alloy were laid. This operation was carried out in winter time from November 15, 1769, when the ground was icy, and on March 27, 1770, the stone was delivered to the shore of the Gulf of Finland. Then the monolith was loaded onto a special raft, built by master Grigory Korchebnikov, fortified between two ships. Thousands of people participated in the extraction and transportation of the stone. On September 25, 1770, crowds of people greeted the Thunder Stone on the banks of the Neva near Senate Square. During transportation, dozens of stonecutters gave it the necessary shape. This event was marked by the minting of the medal "Daring is like. January 1770".
Downside

Front side

In 1778, Falcone's relationship with Catherine II finally deteriorated and, together with Marie-Anne Collot, he was forced to leave for Paris.
The installation of the Bronze Horseman was supervised by Fyodor Gordeev, and on August 7, 1782, the grand opening of the monument took place.
The military parade at the celebration was led by Prince Alexander Golitsyn, and Catherine II arrived along the Neva in a boat and climbed onto the balcony of the Senate building. The Empress came out in a crown and porphyry and gave a sign to open the monument. Under the drumbeat, the shields covering the monument were opened, an exclamation of admiration was heard ... and the regiments of the guards marched along the embankment of the Neva.

But the author was not among the enthusiastic audience, he was not even invited to the opening ceremony. Only later did Prince Golitsyn in France present Falcone with gold and silver medals from Catherine II. This was a clear recognition of his talent, which the queen could not appreciate before. They say that while doing this, Falcone, who spent 15 years of his life on his main sculpture, burst into tears.

Bronze Horseman - title
The monument received the name Bronze Horseman later thanks to the poem of the same name by A.S. Pushkin, although in fact the monument is made of bronze.

Monument to the Bronze Horseman
Falcone depicted the figure of Peter I in dynamics, on a reared horse, and thus wanted to show not a commander and a victor, but primarily a creator and legislator. We see the emperor in simple clothes, and instead of a rich saddle - animal skin. Only the laurel wreath crowning the head and the sword at the belt tell us about the victor and the commander. The location of the monument on the top of the cliff indicates the difficulties overcame by Peter, and the snake is a symbol evil forces... The monument is unique in that it has only three support points. On the pedestal there is an inscription "TO PETER the first EKATERINA second lta 1782", and on the other side the same text is indicated on Latin... The Bronze Horseman weighs eight tons and is five meters high.

Legends and Myths about the Bronze Horseman
There is a legend that Peter I, being in a cheerful mood, decided to jump over the Neva on his beloved horse Lisette. He exclaimed: "All God's and mine" and jumped across the river. The second time he shouted the same words and was also on the other side. And for the third time he decided to jump over the Neva, but he made a reservation and said: "Everything is mine and God's" and was immediately punished - and turned to stone on Senate Square, in the place where the Bronze Horseman now stands.
They say that Peter I, who fell ill, was in a fever, and he fancied that the Swedes were advancing. He jumped on his horse and wanted to rush to the Neva at the enemy, but then a snake crawled out and wrapped around the horse's legs and stopped him, did not allow Peter I to jump into the water and die. So the Bronze Horseman stands on this place - a monument to How the snake saved Peter I.
There are several myths and legends in which Peter I prophesies: "As long as I am in place, my city has nothing to fear." Indeed, the Bronze Horseman remained in his place during Patriotic War 1812 and during the Great Patriotic War. During the siege of Leningrad, it was sheathed with logs and boards, and sandbags and earth were laid around it.
Peter I points with his hand in the direction of Sweden, and in the center of Stockholm there is a monument to Karl XII, Peter's enemy in the Northern War, left hand which is directed towards Russia.

Interesting facts about the Bronze Horseman monument
The transportation of the stone-pedestal was accompanied by difficulties and unforeseen circumstances, and emergency situations often arose. All of Europe followed that operation and in honor of the delivery of the Thunder Stone to Senate Square, a commemorative medal was issued with the inscription “Like daring. Genvarya, 20, 1770 "
Falcone conceived a monument without a fence, although the fence was nevertheless installed, but has not survived to this day. Now there are people who leave inscriptions on the monument and spoil the pedestal and the Bronze Horseman. It is possible that a fence will soon be installed around the Bronze Horseman
In 1909 and 1976, the Bronze Horseman was restored. The latest gamma-ray examination showed that the sculpture's frame is in good condition. A capsule with a note about the restoration carried out and a newspaper dated September 3, 1976 were laid inside the monument.

The Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg - main character The northern capital and admire one of the most famous sights of the city, newlyweds and numerous tourists come to Senate Square.

NS The amyatnik to Peter I ("The Bronze Horseman") is located in the heart of St. Petersburg - on Senate Square.
The location of the monument to Peter I was not chosen by chance. Nearby are the Admiralty, founded by the emperor, the building of the main legislative body tsarist Russia- Senate.

In 1710, on the site of the present Bronze Horseman, the very first wooden St. Isaac's Church was located in the "drawing room".

Catherine II insisted on placing the monument in the center of the Senate Square. The author of the sculpture, Etienne-Maurice Falconet, did his own thing, placing the Bronze Horseman closer to the Neva.

Falcone was invited to St. Petersburg by Prince Golitsyn. The professors of the Paris Academy of Painting Diderot and Voltaire, whose taste Catherine II trusted, were advised to turn to this particular master.
Falcone was already fifty years old. He worked in a porcelain factory, but dreamed of great and monumental art. When an invitation was received to erect a monument in Russia, Falcone, without hesitation, signed a contract on September 6, 1766. His conditions determined: the monument to Peter should consist of "mainly equestrian statue colossal size. "The sculptor was offered a rather modest fee (200 thousand livres), other masters asked twice as much.

Falcone arrived in St. Petersburg with his seventeen-year-old assistant Marie-Anne Collot. Most likely, she also helped him in bed, but history is silent ...
The vision of the monument to Peter the Great by the author of the sculpture was strikingly different from the wishes of the empress and most of the Russian nobility. Catherine II expected to see Peter I with a staff or scepter in hand, riding a horse like a Roman emperor. State Councilor Shtelin saw the figure of Peter surrounded by allegories of Prudence, Industry, Justice and Victory. I.I.Betskoy, who supervised the construction of the monument, represented him as a full-length figure, with a commander's baton held in his hand.

Falconet was advised to direct the emperor's right eye to the Admiralty, and his left to the building of the Twelve Collegia. Diderot, who visited St. Petersburg in 1773, conceived a monument in the form of a fountain decorated with allegorical figures.

Falcone, however, conceived quite differently. He turned out to be stubborn and persistent. The sculptor wrote:
"I will confine myself only to the statue of this hero, whom I do not interpret either as a great commander or as a winner, although he was, of course, both. The personality of the creator, legislator, benefactor of his country is much higher, and this is what needs to be shown. people. My king does not hold any rod, he stretches his beneficent right hand over the country he is circling. He ascends to the top of the rock that serves as his pedestal - this is the emblem of the difficulties he conquered. "

Defending the right to his opinion regarding the appearance of the monument to Falcone, he wrote to I.I.Betsky:

"Could you imagine that the sculptor chosen to create such a significant monument would be deprived of the ability to think and that someone else's head, and not his own, governed the movements of his hands?"

Disputes also arose around the clothes of Peter I. The sculptor wrote to Diderot:

"You know that I will not dress him in Roman, just as I would not have dressed Julius Caesar or Scipio in Russian."

Falcone worked on a life-size model of the monument for three years. Work on the "Bronze Horseman" was carried out on the site of the former temporary Winter Palace Elizaveta Petrovna.
In 1769, passers-by could watch here as a guard officer took off on a horse on a wooden platform and put it on its hind legs. This went on for several hours a day. Falcone sat by the window in front of the platform and carefully sketched what he saw. The horses for the work on the monument were taken from the imperial stables: the horses Brilliant and Caprice. The sculptor chose the Russian "Orlov" breed for the monument.

Falcone's student Marie-Anne Collot sculpted the head of the Bronze Horseman. The sculptor himself took up this work three times, but each time Catherine II advised to remake the model. Marie herself proposed her sketch, which was accepted by the empress. For her work, the girl was accepted as a member of the Russian Academy of Arts, Catherine II appointed her a life pension of 10,000 livres.

The snake under the horse's foot was sculpted by the Russian sculptor FG Gordeev.
It took twelve years to prepare the life-size plaster model of the monument, it was ready by 1778. The model was opened for public viewing in a workshop at the corner of Kirpichny Lane and Bolshaya Morskaya Street. The most varied opinions were expressed. The Chief Prosecutor of the Synod resolutely rejected the draft. Diderot was pleased with what he saw. Catherine II, on the other hand, turned out to be indifferent to the model of the monument - she did not like Falcone's self-righteousness in choosing the appearance of the monument.

Bust of Falcone by Marie-Anne Collot 1773

For a long time, no one wanted to take on the casting of the statue. Foreign masters demanded too large amount, and local craftsmen were intimidated by its size and complexity of the work. According to the sculptor's calculations, in order to maintain the balance of the monument, the front walls of the monument should have been made very thin - no more than a centimeter. Even a specially invited foundry worker from France refused such work. He called Falcone crazy and said that there is no such example of casting in the world, that it will not succeed.

Finally, a foundry found a cannon master Emelyan Khailov. Together with him, Falcone selected the alloy, made samples. For three years, the sculptor has mastered casting to perfection. They began to cast the "Bronze Horseman" in 1774.

The technology was very complex. The thickness of the front walls must have been less than the thickness of the rear ones. At the same time, the rear part became heavier, which gave stability to the statue, which rests on only two points of support (the snake is not a point of support, more on that below).

One pouring, which began on August 25, 1775, was not enough. Khailov was assigned to supervise her. They prepared 1,350 pounds of bronze, and when all of it, melted, flowed into the mold, the mold cracked, and the metal poured onto the floor. The fire started. Falcone ran out of the workshop in horror, the workers ran after him, and only Khailov remained in place. Risking his life, he wrapped the mold with his sermeg and coated it with clay, picked up the spread bronze and poured it back into the mold. The monument was saved, and the errors that arose due to the accident were later corrected by polishing the statue.

St. Petersburg Vedomosti wrote about these events:
"Casting succeeded, except in places two feet two at the top. This inflammatory failure occurred through an event that could not be foreseen, and therefore prevented at all. The above incident seemed so terrible that they feared that the whole building would not start on fire, but, consequently, the whole thing would not have failed. Khailov remained motionless and conducted the molten metal into the mold, without losing his vigor in the face of the danger to life presented to him. money. "

However, as a result of the accident, numerous large defects (underfilling, adhesions) were formed in the horse's head and the rider's figure above the waist.

A bold plan was devised to save the statue. It was decided to cut off the defective part of the statue and refill it, increasing new form directly onto the surviving parts of the monument. With the help of pieces of plaster mold, a wax model of the top of the casting was obtained, which is a continuation of the wall of the previously cast part of the statue.

The second pouring was made in November 1777, and it was completely successful. In memory of this unique operation, on one of the folds of Peter the Great's cloak, the sculptor left the inscription "Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, a Parisian of 1778". Not a word about Khailov.

As conceived by the sculptor, the base of the monument is a natural rock in the form of a wave. The waveform serves as a reminder that it was Peter I who brought Russia to the sea. The Academy of Arts started searching for a monolith stone when the model of the monument was not even ready yet. A stone was needed, the height of which would be 11.2 meters.

The granite monolith was found in the Lakhta region, twelve miles from St. Petersburg.

Once upon a time, according to local legends, lightning hit the rock, forming a crack in it. Among local residents the rock was called "Thunder-stone".

So they began to call it later when they installed it on the banks of the Neva under the famous monument. It was rumored that in the old days there was a temple on it. And sacrifices were offered.

The initial weight of the monolith is about 2000 tons. Catherine II announced an award of 7,000 rubles to the one who comes up with the most effective method deliver the rock to Senate Square. The method proposed by a certain Karburi was chosen from many projects. There were rumors that he had bought this project from some Russian merchant.

From the location of the stone to the shore of the gulf, a clearing was cut through, the soil was strengthened. The rock was freed from unnecessary layers, it immediately lightened by 600 tons. The thunder stone was levered onto a wooden platform supported by copper balls. These balls moved along wooden grooved rails covered with copper. The clearing was winding. Work on the transportation of the rock continued in frost and heat. Hundreds of people worked. Many Petersburgers came to watch this action. Some of the observers collected the fragments of the stone and ordered from them knobs for a cane or cufflinks. In honor of the extraordinary transport operation, Catherine II commanded the minting of a medal on which is written "Like daring. Genvarya, 20. 1770".

The poet Vasily Rubin wrote in the same year:
The mountain of Ross, not made by hands, heeded the voice of God from the mouth of Catherine, and passed into the city of Petrov through the Nevsky depths. And fell under the feet of the Great Peter.

Portrait of Marie-Anne Collot

The insulted master did not wait for the opening of the monument; in September 1778, together with Marie-Anne Collot, he left for Paris.

And the monument weighing under 10 tons still had to be installed ...

The installation of the Bronze Horseman on the pedestal was directed by the architect FG Gordeev.

Grand opening monument to Peter I took place on August 7, 1782 (old style). The sculpture was closed from the eyes of observers by a canvas fence depicting mountain landscapes.

It was raining in the morning, but it did not prevent a significant number of people from gathering on Senate Square. By noon the clouds had cleared. The guards entered the square. The military parade was ruled by Prince A.M. Golitsyn. At four o'clock, Empress Catherine II herself arrived on the boat. She went up to the balcony of the Senate building in crown and porphyry and signaled for the opening of the monument. The fence fell, the shelves moved along the Nevskaya embankment to the drumbeat.

By order of Catherine II, the pedestal is inscribed: "Catherine II to Peter I". Thus, the Empress emphasized her commitment to Peter's reforms. Immediately after the appearance of the "Bronze Horseman" on Senate Square, the square was named Petrovskaya.

Alexander Pushkin called the sculpture "The Bronze Horseman" in his eponymous poem. This expression became so popular that it became almost official. And the monument to Peter I itself has become one of the symbols of St. Petersburg.
The Bronze Horseman weighs 8 tons and is over 5 meters high.

Neither wind nor terrible floods could defeat the monument.

Legends

One evening Pavel, accompanied by his friend Prince Kurakin, walked through the streets of St. Petersburg. Suddenly, a man appeared in front, wrapped in a wide cloak. It seemed that he was waiting for the travelers, and when they approached, he walked alongside them. Pavel shuddered and turned to Kurakin: "Someone is walking with us." However, he did not see anyone and tried to convince the Grand Duke of this. Suddenly the ghost spoke: “Pavel! Poor Pavel! I am the one who takes part in you. " Then the ghost went ahead of the travelers, as if leading them. Approaching the middle of the square, he indicated the place for the future monument. "Farewell, Pavel," said the ghost, "you will see me here again." And when, as he was leaving, he raised his hat, Pavel saw with horror the face of Peter.

It is believed that the legend goes back to the memoirs of Baroness von Oberkirch, which describes in detail the circumstances under which Paul himself publicly told this story. Bearing in mind the high reliability of memoirs based on many years diary entries and the friendship between the Baroness and Maria Fedorovna, Paul's wife, most likely, the source of the legend is indeed the future sovereign himself ...

There is another legend. During the war of 1812, when the threat of a Napoleonic invasion was real, Alexander I decided to move the monument to Peter to Vologda. A certain captain Baturin had a dream a strange dream: as if the Bronze Horseman slides off the pedestal and gallops to the Stone Island, where Emperor Alexander I was at that time. "Young man, what have you brought my Russia to? - Peter says to him. - But as long as I stand in my place my city has nothing to fear. " Then the horseman, announcing the city with "a heavily sonorous galloping", returned to the Senate Square. According to legend, the dream of an unknown captain was brought to the attention of the emperor, as a result of which the statue of Peter the Great remained in St. Petersburg.
As you know, the boots of the Napoleonic soldier, as well as the fascist, did not touch the St. Petersburg pavements.

The famous mystic and visionary of the 20th century Daniil Andreev, in the Rose of the World, described one of the hellish worlds. There he reports that in infernal Petersburg the torch in the Bronze Horseman's hand is the only source of light, while Peter sits not on a horse, but on a terrible dragon ...

During the siege of Leningrad, the Bronze Horseman was covered with bags of earth and sand, sheathed with logs and boards.

When, after the war, the monument was freed from boards and sacks, the Star of the Hero appeared on Peter's chest Soviet Union... Someone drew it with chalk ...

The restoration of the monument took place in 1909 and 1976. Under the latter, the sculpture was examined using gamma rays. For this, the space around the monument was fenced off with sandbags and concrete blocks. The cobalt cannon was controlled from a nearby bus. Thanks to this study, it turned out that the frame of the monument can still serve long years... Inside the figure was a capsule with a note about the restoration and its participants, a newspaper dated September 3, 1976.

Etienne-Maurice Falcone conceived The Bronze Horseman without a fence. But it was nevertheless created, has not survived to this day. Thanks to the vandals who left their autographs on the thunder-stone and the sculpture itself, the idea of restoring the fence was realized.

Recent studies of the monument have brought two sensations:

1. The monument rests not on three points of support, as was previously thought, but on two. The snake and the horse's tail do not carry any load.

The snake, trampled by the horse and tail, serves only to separate the air currents and reduce the windage of the monument.

2. Peter's pupils are made in the form of hearts. Peter looks at the city with loving eyes. So Falcone passed on to the descendants the message of Peter's love for his brainchild - St. Petersburg.

3. Thanks to Pushkin and his poem, the monument is called "Copper", but it is not made of copper, but of bronze.

4. The monument was depicted on Yudenich's money.

The monument is covered with myths and legends. He also exists in foreign collections. This is how the Japanese imagined him.

Illustration from the 11th Kankai Ibun scroll. The monument was drawn by a Japanese artist from the words of sailors)))

In the late evening, the monument is no less mysterious and beautiful ...

Infa and part of the photo (C) Wikipedia, the site "Legends of St. Petersburg" and other places on the Internet

Monuments are the most interesting and effective way to pay tribute and tribute to the historical past. They are admired by lovers of art, creativity and history. There are monuments that have a sonorous name, but many people do not know who is on the pedestal. For example, a monument - who is depicted on it?

The Bronze Horseman monument is an excellent example of the embodiment of the spirit of history in life. You need to plunge into history a little!

"The Bronze Horseman" - who is depicted on the horse?

Many people, even by their occupation not related to history, have probably heard of the Bronze Horseman. But who is depicted on the rider, "this remains an open question for most.

Many forum and blog topics on the Internet are clogged with this question. Who is depicted on the monument on this occasion does not stop.

We will not torment you for a long time. The Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg depicts Peter the Great himself. The author of the Falcone monument strove to recreate the figure of Peter in motion, so that they would see in him not only the great commander and leader of the Russian people, but also a real legislator and creator of life.

Peter has a wreath on his head. It is he who emphasizes that Peter is the winner and leader. The monument for history is unique in that it has three pillars on which it rests.

Now, to the question of who is depicted on the monument "The Bronze Horseman", you can safely answer - Tsar Peter the First!

Why in St. Petersburg?

The Bronze Horseman monument is an important element for the culture and architecture of Russia. You can often come across the question of who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument in Moscow? But there is no such monument in Moscow.

So, where is the monument "The Bronze Horseman", who is depicted on it, we figured it out. And it is located not in Moscow, but in St. Petersburg. It was erected by Catherine II in honor of On the pedestal you can find the inscription: "Peter the Great From Catherine II in the summer of 1782".

The one who is depicted on the monument "The Bronze Horseman" in St. Petersburg - outstanding personality for the city. Catherine thought so and therefore decided to capture the creator of the city forever. Thus, the Empress decided to pay tribute not only to the city of St. Petersburg, but also to its immediate founder, Peter I. By the way, that is why the "Bronze Horseman" was made in St. Petersburg in honor of the founder of the city. Its weight is eight tons, and its height is five meters.

History - the beginning

The initiative to create the monument belongs entirely to Catherine II. By order of the Empress, Alexander Mikhailovich Golitsyn turned to Voltaire and Diderot for help and advice in the construction and design of such a significant object for Russia. Catherine trusted Voltaire and Diderot very much, therefore their opinion was considered significant.

Etienne-Maurice Falconet - this was the person they recommended to Catherine for the design and construction of the facility. And Falcone, in turn, always dreamed of creating a huge monument that will pass through the centuries and will be revered by descendants. The proposal of the Russian court delighted and encouraged him. The master comes to Russia with Marie-Anne Collot. This is his 17-year-old design assistant.

A contract for 200 thousand livres was signed with the sculptor. it small amount... The Russian court also appealed to other noble masters of their craft, but they asked for much more.

Later, Felten, a professional architect, was appointed as Falcone's assistant, who was only supposed to speed up the process of building the pedestal.

Who is depicted on the monument "The Bronze Horseman", the photo perfectly demonstrates.

"Thunder-stone" - what you need!

The question arose of finding a suitable stone on which a huge monument to Peter the Great would be placed. They decided to search for the stone through advertisements, and a corresponding message was posted in the St. Petersburg Vedomosti newspaper.

Suitable stone Grigory Vishnyakov will kindly provide a monument to Peter. It was a huge lump that he wanted to use for his own needs, but he could not even find a tool with which he could split it.

On March 27, 1770, the stone was delivered to the shores of the Gulf of Finland, and the operation was completed. During the transportation, there were many problems that threatened to derail the entire project. However, everything went well.

The transportation of this stone, even today, is completely unique. It was the largest stone ever moved by man!

Preparation of the monument

In 1769, the plaster monument was shown to the public. Now the figure of Peter the Great was awaiting casting in full.

but famous master and the designer of the Falcone monument refused to do this work on his own. He had never encountered the casting of such a huge monument. Falcone awaited the arrival of Ersman, who was an expert in this matter.

but great expectations sculptor on Ersman did not materialize. He turned out to be a poor specialist and could not cope with the task assigned to him. Falcone independently took up the casting of the monument.

The very first casting took place in 1775. Then the castings were repeated in 1776-1777. Catherine II personally followed the results of the work.

The second casting was more successful than the first. Then, after the completion of Falcone, in the inner part of the cloak of Peter the Great, he wrote “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falcone, Parisian”. This is how the work on this magnificent monument was completed.

Installation of the monument

The Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg was ready to appear before the people. There was only a question of installing the monument so that it became public property, and people could be proud of it.

"Thunder-stone" was delivered to St. Petersburg long ago. The height of the block, 11 meters, was exactly what was needed to place the monument.

However, the relationship between Falcone and Catherine II had completely deteriorated by this time. Falconet had no choice but to leave Petersburg for Paris.

The final installation of the monument was already done by Fyodor Gordeev. This did not cause him much difficulty, and on August 7, 1782, the opening of the monument to Peter the Great took place. Falcone was never invited to the opening of his Russian brainchild. The opening was attended by Catherine II herself, who gave the order to open the monument on this very day!

Baturin's story

The year was 1812. This was the time when the Russian army was at war with the army of Napoleon. There was a high probability that French troops would break into St. Petersburg and Moscow and destroy all cultural heritage that is in Russia.

Obsessed with these thoughts, Emperor Alexander the First ordered to take out of St. Petersburg all cultural heritage cities. Alexander's list also included the Bronze Horseman monument on Senate Square.

At this time, a certain Baturin appears, who was then in the rank of a simple major. He achieved a personal meeting with Prince Golitsyn in order to tell him a dream that had haunted him for several last days... In a dream, the major is on Senate Square. The monument of Peter the Great turns its head towards him and says that he should not be taken out of his native Petersburg under any circumstances. Only with him is Petersburg safe, and no one will touch him.

Surprised by such a dream of Baturin, Golitsyn immediately goes to Alexander and tells him about the vision. Alexander was "killed on the spot", but still canceled the order to export the "Bronze Horseman" from St. Petersburg.

Paul's thoughts

A common story is that it is associated with Peter the Great and the future emperor Paul the First.

Pavel was walking in the evening through the streets of St. Petersburg, when it seemed to him that someone was walking next to him. At first he took it for a play of imagination, but after that he began to really feel the presence of another person.

“Pavel, I am the one who takes part in you!” The figure next to him told him. Paul was amazed. He clearly saw the figure of Peter the Great in a cloak and hat.

This meeting took place on Senate Square. As Peter left, he said that someday Paul would see him here again.

Over time, it happened. Pavel received an invitation to unveil a monument in St. Petersburg. Who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument? To this question Paul knew the answer for sure.

"The Bronze Horseman in Culture"

Vivid monuments and monuments are often reflected in the stories of writers, in the poems of poets and in drawings. famous artists... The description of the Bronze Horseman in St. Petersburg on Senate Square was no exception.

The monument made an impression on prominent figures of literature and art of various times, who then reflected it in their work.

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky in his novel "Teenager" repeatedly mentions "The Bronze Horseman". In his works, he worried about the future of glorious Petersburg, but did not predict his death, because the city was tightly guarded by the spirit of the famous and great Peter the Great.

The mystic Danil Andreev also recalls The Bronze Horseman in his Rose of the World. However, he introduces Peter sitting on a dragon.

Mentioned in their works of the "Bronze Horseman" and other writers. There are many paintings written and dedicated to this monument. Peter the Great, immortalized on horseback, made a great impression on the artists.

"The Bronze Horseman" by Pushkin

Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin is a man who sincerely admired Russian culture and its heritage. The Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg could not leave him indifferent. The writer wrote the work "The Bronze Horseman".

The work says how in 1824 Eugene lost his beloved during a flood. He takes this grief hard. In order to somehow distract himself from the accident, he wanders around St. Petersburg.

Eugene walks up to the Bronze Horseman monument and freezes for a moment. He recalls that it was Peter the Great who founded the city in the place where disasters and floods can occur. He begins to blame Peter for his troubles and that the construction was wrong, as well as the choice of the very place for the construction of St. Petersburg.

Eugene begins to threaten the monument. At this time, the "Bronze Horseman" jumps off the pedestal and begins to run after the accuser. In reality, this happens in Eugene or in a vision, he himself cannot understand.

Coinage

The Bronze Horseman found its reflection not only in culture, art and literature, but also on state coins of the USSR period.

The idea to mint coins with Peter was the first to belong to the Bank of the USSR during the reign of Mikhail Gorbachev in 1988.

So, in 1988, the Bank of the USSR begins to mint coins. The denomination of 5 rubles was awarded to the monument to Peter the Great in St. Petersburg on Senate Square. The coin was heavy - 20 grams. Its circulation was 2.3 million copies.

This is the only one famous case with the participation of the Bronze Horseman monument.

Legends, myths and interesting facts

There are amusing myths and Interesting Facts associated with the monument in St. Petersburg. Let's start with the myths.

There is a rumor that one day Peter the Great wanted to jump over the Neva. When he three times said "All God's and mine," he jumped over the Neva without any problems. When he changed the phrase and said "All mine and God's", he instantly froze in place and turned to stone. Since then, there has been a monument on Senate Square.
Once Peter the Great was lying in his bed and it seemed to him that the Swedes were advancing on Petersburg. He jumped up, jumped on his horse and galloped towards them. However, a snake turned around on his way and stopped him at Senate Square. She did not let him jump into the water and saved Peter.
There are myths in which Peter says that only he can truly protect the city from harm. So it was during the war of 1812-1814. Indeed, the city was not touched by the French.

Interesting Facts:

When transporting the stone under the pedestal, difficulties and contradictions arose between the workers. Emergency situations happened frequently. All of Europe followed the transportation of the stone.
Falcone originally wanted his Bronze Horseman to be without a fence. But it was installed anyway. Currently, this fence does not exist, and many leave their own, spoiling it. There is a chance that the fence will still be installed.

The Bronze Horseman is a symbol northern capital Russia. It is worth going to St. Petersburg and seeing this monument with your own eyes. Now, when you are in the city on the Neva, you will no longer have a question about who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg.

Reingold Glier - Waltz from the ballet "The Bronze Horseman"

The monument to Peter I, the bronze monument of the horseman on a rearing horse that flew up to the top of the cliff, better known thanks to the poem by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin as "The Bronze Horseman", is an integral part of the architectural ensemble and one of the brightest symbols of St. Petersburg ...

The location of the monument to Peter I was not chosen by chance. Nearby are the Admiralty, founded by the emperor, the building of the main legislative body of tsarist Russia - the Senate.

By order of Catherine II, Falcone was invited to St. Petersburg by Prince Golitsyn. The professors of the Paris Academy of Painting Diderot and Voltaire, whose taste Catherine II trusted, were advised to turn to this particular master.

Falcone was already fifty years old. He worked in a porcelain factory, but dreamed of great and monumental art. When an invitation was received to erect a monument in Russia, Falcone, without hesitation, signed a contract on September 6, 1766. Its conditions determined: the monument to Peter should consist of "mainly an equestrian statue of colossal size." The sculptor was offered a rather modest fee (200 thousand livres), other masters asked twice as much.

Falcone arrived in St. Petersburg with his seventeen-year-old assistant Marie-Anne Collot. The vision of the monument to Peter the Great by the author of the sculpture was strikingly different from the wishes of the empress and most of the Russian nobility. Catherine II expected to see Peter I with a staff or scepter in hand, riding a horse like a Roman emperor.

State Councilor Shtelin saw the figure of Peter surrounded by allegories of Prudence, Industry, Justice and Victory. I.I. Betskoy, who supervised the construction of the monument, represented him as a full-length figure, with a commander's baton held in his hand.

The sculptor wrote:

“I will confine myself only to the statue of this hero, whom I do not interpret either as a great commander or as a winner, although he was, of course, both. The personality of the creator, legislator, benefactor of his country is much higher, and this is what it is necessary to show to people. My king does not hold any rod, he stretches out his beneficent hand over the country he is circling. He ascends to the top of the rock, which serves as his pedestal - this is the emblem of the difficulties he conquered. "

Defending the right to his opinion regarding the appearance of the monument to Falcone, I.I. Betsky:

"Could you imagine that the sculptor chosen to create such a significant monument would be deprived of the ability to think and that someone else's head, and not his own, would control the movements of his hands?"

Disputes also arose around the clothes of Peter I. The sculptor wrote to Diderot:
"You know that I will not dress him in Roman, just as I would not have dressed Julius Caesar or Scipio in Russian."

Falcone worked on a life-size model of the monument for three years. Work on "The Bronze Horseman" was carried out on the site of the former temporary Winter Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna. In 1769, passers-by could watch here as a guard officer took off on a horse on a wooden platform and put it on its hind legs. This went on for several hours a day.

Falcone sat by the window in front of the platform and carefully sketched what he saw. The horses for the work on the monument were taken from the imperial stables: the horses Brilliant and Caprice. The sculptor chose the Russian "Oryol" breed for the monument.

The snake under the horse's foot was sculpted by the Russian sculptor F.G. Gordeev.

It took twelve years to prepare the life-size plaster model of the monument, it was ready by 1778.

The model was opened for public viewing in a workshop at the corner of Kirpichny Lane and Bolshaya Morskaya Street. The most varied opinions were expressed. The Chief Prosecutor of the Synod resolutely rejected the draft. Diderot was pleased with what he saw. Catherine II, on the other hand, turned out to be indifferent to the model of the monument - she did not like Falcone's self-righteousness in choosing the appearance of the monument.

For a long time, no one wanted to take on the casting of the statue. Foreign craftsmen demanded too much money, and local craftsmen were frightened by its size and the complexity of the work. According to the sculptor's calculations, in order to maintain the balance of the monument, the front walls of the monument should have been made very thin - no more than a centimeter. Even a specially invited foundry worker from France refused such work. He called Falcone crazy and said that there is no such example of casting in the world, that it will not succeed.

Finally, a foundry was found - a cannon master Emelyan Khailov. Together with him, Falcone selected the alloy, made samples. For three years, the sculptor has mastered casting to perfection. Casting of the Bronze Horseman began in 1774.

It was not enough to fill in the statue alone. During the first, a pipe burst, through which red-hot bronze entered the mold. The upper part of the sculpture was damaged. I had to cut it down and prepare for the second fill for another three years. This time the work was successful. In memory of her, on one of the folds of Peter the Great's cloak, the sculptor left the inscription “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, a Parisian of 1778”.

St. Petersburg Vedomosti wrote about these events:

“On August 24, 1775, Falcone poured a statue of Peter the Great on horseback here. Casting succeeded except in places at two feet by two at the top. This inflammatory failure occurred through an incident that could not have been foreseen, and therefore prevented from being possible at all.

The aforementioned incident seemed so terrible that they feared that the whole building would not start on fire, and, consequently, the whole thing would not fail. Khailov remained motionless and conducted the molten metal into the mold, not losing his vigor in the face of the danger to his life presented to him.

Falcone, touched by such courage at the end of the case, rushed to him and kissed him wholeheartedly and gave him money from himself. "

The granite monolith was found in the Lakhta region, twelve miles from St. Petersburg. Once upon a time, according to local legends, lightning hit the rock, forming a crack in it. Among the locals, the rock was called "Thunder-stone". So they began to call it later when they installed it on the banks of the Neva under the famous monument.

Shattered Boulder - alleged Thunder Stone Shard

The initial weight of the monolith is about 2000 tons. Catherine II announced an award of 7,000 rubles to anyone who comes up with the most effective way to deliver the rock to Senate Square. The method proposed by a certain Karburi was chosen from many projects. There were rumors that he had bought this project from some Russian merchant.

Hundreds of people worked. Many Petersburgers came to watch this action. Some of the observers collected the fragments of the stone and ordered from them knobs for a cane or cufflinks. In honor of the extraordinary transport operation, Catherine II ordered the minting of a medal on which it was written “Like daring. Genvarya, 20. 1770 ".

The poet Vasily Rubin wrote in the same year:

The Ross mountain, not made by hands,
Having heeded the voice of God from the lips of Catherine,
Came into the city of Petrov through the Nevsky abyss
And fell under the feet of the Great Peter.

By the time the monument to Peter I was erected, the relationship between the sculptor and the imperial court had finally deteriorated. It got to the point that Falcone was attributed only to a technical relationship to the monument. The insulted master did not wait for the opening of the monument; in September 1778, together with Marie-Anne Collot, he left for Paris.

The installation of the Bronze Horseman on the pedestal was directed by the architect F.G. Gordeev. The grand opening of the monument to Peter I took place on August 7, 1782 (old style). The sculpture was closed from the eyes of observers by a canvas fence depicting mountain landscapes. It was raining in the morning, but it did not prevent a significant number of people from gathering on Senate Square. By noon the clouds had cleared. The guards entered the square.

The military parade was ruled by Prince A.M. Golitsyn. At four o'clock, Empress Catherine II herself arrived on the boat. She went up to the balcony of the Senate building in crown and porphyry and signaled for the opening of the monument. The fence fell, the shelves moved along the Nevskaya embankment to the drumbeat.

By order of Catherine II, on the pedestal is inscribed: "Catherine II to Peter I". Thus, the Empress emphasized her commitment to Peter's reforms. Immediately after the appearance of the "Bronze Horseman" on Senate Square, the square was named Petrovskaya.

The sculpture in his eponymous poem was named by A.S. Pushkin, although in fact it is made of bronze. This expression became so popular that it became almost official. And the monument to Peter I itself has become one of the symbols of St. Petersburg.

The Bronze Horseman weighs 8 tons and is over 5 meters high.

The Legend of the Bronze Horseman

From the day it was installed, it has been the subject of many myths and legends. Opponents of Peter himself and his reforms warned that the monument depicts the "horseman of the Apocalypse" bringing death and suffering to the city and all of Russia. Peter's supporters said that the monument symbolizes greatness and glory Russian Empire, and that Russia will remain so until the rider leaves his pedestal.

By the way, the Bronze Horseman's pedestal is also legendary. As conceived by the sculptor Falconet, it should have been made in the form of a wave. A suitable stone was found near the village of Lakhta: a local holy fool allegedly pointed to the stone. Some historians find it possible that this is the very stone that Peter climbed more than once during the Northern War in order to better see the location of the troops.

The fame of the Bronze Horseman spread far beyond St. Petersburg. In one of the remote settlements, its own version of the appearance of the monument appeared. The version was that once Peter the Great was having fun by jumping on his horse from one bank of the Neva to the other.

The first time he exclaimed: "All is God's and mine!", And jumped over the river. The second time I repeated: "Everything is God's and mine!", And again the jump was successful. However, the third time the emperor mixed up the words, and said: "All mine and God's!" At that moment, God's punishment overtook him: he turned to stone and forever remained a monument to himself.

The Legend of Major Baturin

During the Patriotic War of 1812, as a result of the retreat of the Russian troops, there was a threat of the capture of St. Petersburg by French troops. Concerned about this prospect, Alexander I ordered to take especially valuable works of art out of the city.

In particular, Secretary of State Molchanov was instructed to take the monument to Peter I to the Vologda province, and several thousand rubles were allocated for this. At this time, a certain major Baturin achieved a meeting with the Tsar's personal friend, Prince Golitsyn, and told him that he, Baturin, was haunted by the same dream. He sees himself in Senate Square. Peter's face turns. The rider drives off his cliff and goes along the St. Petersburg streets to Kamenny Island, where Alexander I then lived.

The rider enters the courtyard of the Kamenoostrovsky palace, from which the sovereign comes out to meet him. “Young man, what have you brought my Russia to,” Peter the Great tells him, “but as long as I’m in place, my city has nothing to fear!” Then the rider turns back, and again there is a "heavy-ringing gallop". Struck by Baturin's story, Prince Golitsyn conveyed the dream to the emperor. As a result, Alexander I canceled his decision to evacuate the monument. The monument remained in place.

There is an assumption that the legend about Major Baturin formed the basis of the plot of the poem by Alexander Pushkin "The Bronze Horseman". There is also an assumption that the legend about Major Baturin became the reason that during the Great Patriotic War the monument remained in place and, like other sculptures, was not hidden.

During the siege of Leningrad, the Bronze Horseman was covered with bags of earth and sand, sheathed with logs and boards.

Thanks to this study, it turned out that the frame of the monument can serve for many more years. Inside the figure was a capsule with a note about the restoration and its participants, a newspaper dated September 3, 1976.

Etienne-Maurice Falcone conceived The Bronze Horseman without a fence. But it was nevertheless created, has not survived to this day.

"Thanks" to the vandals who left their autographs on the thunder-stone and the sculpture itself, the idea of restoring the fence could soon be realized.

compilation of material -

The city on the Neva is actually a museum under open air... Monuments of architecture, history and art are concentrated in its central part and are mostly compositional. A special place among them is occupied by the monument dedicated to Peter the Great - the Bronze Horseman. Any guide can give a description of the monument in sufficient detail, everything is interesting in this story: from the creation of a sketch to the installation process. Many legends and myths are associated with it. The first one relates to the origin of the sculpture's name. It was given much later than the erection of the monument, but has not changed over the two hundred years of its existence.

Name

... Above the fenced rock

Idol with outstretched hand

Sat on a bronze horse. ...

These lines are familiar to every Russian person, their author, A.S. Pushkin, describing in eponymous work named him the Bronze Horseman. The great Russian poet, born 17 years after the installation of the monument, did not expect that his poem would give a new name to the sculpture. In his work, he gives the following description of the Bronze Horseman monument (or rather, whose image was displayed in it):

... What a thought on your forehead!

What power is hidden in him! ..

... O powerful lord of fate! ..

Peter does not appear common man, not a great king, but practically a demigod. These epithets were inspired by Pushkin's monument, its scale and fundamental nature. The rider is not copper, the sculpture itself is made of bronze, and a solid block of granite was used as a pedestal. But the image of Peter, created by Pushkin in the poem, was so consistent with the energy of the entire composition that one should not pay attention to such trifles. Before today the description of the Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg is inextricably linked with the work of the great Russian classic.

History

Catherine II, wanting to emphasize her commitment reform activities Peter, decided to erect a monument to him in the city, of which he was the founder. The first statue was created by Francesco Rastrelli, but the monument did not receive the empress's approval and was kept for a long time in the barns of St. Petersburg. The sculptor Etienne Maurice Falconet recommended to her worked on the monument for 12 years. His confrontation with Catherine ended with the fact that he left Russia, never seeing his creation in its final form. Having studied the personality of Peter according to the sources existing at that time, he created and embodied his image not as a great commander and tsar, but as the creator of Russia, who opened her way to the sea, bringing her closer to Europe. Falcone was faced with the fact that Catherine and all high officials already had a ready-made image of the monument, he only had to create the expected forms. If this had happened, the description of the Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg would have been completely different. Perhaps then it would have had a different name. Falcone's work progressed slowly, this was facilitated by bureaucratic squabbles, dissatisfaction with the empress and the complexity of the image created.

Installation

Even recognized masters of their craft did not undertake the casting of the figure of Peter on horseback, so Falcone attracted Emelyan Khailov, who was casting the cannons. The size of the monument was not the most the main problem, it was much more important to maintain a weight balance. With only three points of support, the sculpture had to be stable. Original decision there was an introduction to the monument of the snake, which was a symbol of the defeated evil. At the same time, she provided additional support for the sculptural group. We can say that the monument was created in co-authorship of the sculptor with his student Marie-Anna Collot (Peter's head, face) and the Russian master Fyodor Gordeev (snake).

Thunder stone

Not a single description of the Bronze Horseman monument is complete without mentioning its foundation (pedestal). A huge block of granite was split by lightning, which is why the local population gave it the name Thunder-stone, which later survived. According to Falcone's plan, the sculpture should stand on a base that imitates a surging wave. The stone was delivered to the Senate Square by land and water, while the work on cutting the granite block did not stop. All of Russia and Europe followed the extraordinary transportation, in honor of its completion, Catherine ordered a medal to be minted. In September 1770, a granite foundation was installed on Senate Square. The location of the monument was also controversial. The Empress insisted on erecting a monument in the center of the square, but Falcone put it closer to the Neva, and Peter's gaze is turned to the river. Although, to this day, fierce disputes have been going on about this: where did the Bronze Horseman look? The description of the monument by various researchers contains excellent answer options. Some believe that the king is looking at Sweden, with which he fought. Others suggest that his gaze is turned to the sea, access to which was necessary for the country. There is also a point of view based on the theory that the ruler is surveying the city he laid down.

Bronze Horseman, monument

A brief description of the monument can be found in any guide to historical and cultural sites St. Petersburg. Peter 1 sits on a rearing horse, extending one hand over the current Neva. Adorns his head Laurel wreath, and the legs of a horse trample on a snake that personifies evil (in the broadest sense of the word). On the granite base, by order of Catherine II, the inscription "Catherine II to Peter I" was made and the date is 1782. These words are written in Latin on one side of the monument, and in Russian on the other. The weight of the monument itself is about 8-9 tons, the height is more than 5 meters, excluding the base. This monument has become business card cities on the Neva. Every person who comes to see its sights must visit Senate Square, and everyone has their own opinion and, accordingly, a description of the Bronze Horseman monument to Peter 1.

Symbolism

The power and grandeur of the monument has not left people indifferent for two centuries. He made such an indelible impression on the great classic A. Pushkin that the poet created one of his most significant creations - "The Bronze Horseman". The description of the monument in the poem as an independent hero attracts the attention of the reader with its brightness and integrity of the image. This work was included in a number of symbols of Russia, as well as the monument itself. "The Bronze Horseman, Description of the Monument" - an essay on this topic is written by high school students throughout the country. At the same time, the role of Pushkin's poem, his vision of sculpture appear in every essay. From the moment of the opening of the monument to the present day, there are controversial opinions about the composition in general. Many Russian writers used the image created by Falcone in their work. Everyone found symbolism in him, which he interpreted in accordance with his views, but the fact that Peter I personifies Russia's movement forward is beyond doubt. This is confirmed by the Bronze Horseman. The description of the monument has become for many a way of expressing their own thoughts about the fate of the country.

Monument

On the rock, in front of which the abyss has opened, a mighty horse rushes in. The rider pulls on the reins, raising the animal on its hind legs, while his whole figure personifies confidence and calmness. According to Falcone, this was exactly what Peter I was - a hero, a warrior, but also a reformer. With his hand, he points to the distances that will be subject to him. The struggle with the forces of nature, not too perspicacious people, prejudices for him is the meaning of life. When creating a sculpture, Catherine wanted to see Peter as a great emperor, that is, Roman statues could be a model. The king must sit on a horse, holding in his hands the correspondence to the ancient heroes was given with the help of clothes. Falcone was categorically against, he said that the Russian sovereign could not wear a tunic, just like Julius Caesar's caftan. Peter appears in a long Russian shirt, which is covered by a cloak fluttering in the wind - this is what the Bronze Horseman looks like. The description of the monument is impossible without some of the symbols introduced by Falcone to the main composition. For example, Peter is not sitting in the saddle, in this capacity is the skin of a bear. Its meaning is interpreted as belonging to the nation, the people, which the king leads. The snake under the horse's hooves symbolizes deceit, enmity, ignorance, defeated by Peter.

Head

The tsar's facial features are a little idealized, but the portrait likeness is not lost. The work on Peter's head lasted a long time, its results constantly did not satisfy the empress. Petra, shot by Rastrelli, helped the pupil Falcone to make the king's face. Her work was highly praised by Catherine II, and Marie-Anne Collot was given a life annuity. Whole figure, head position, fierce gesture, inner fire, expressed in the look, show the character of Peter I.

Location

Falcone paid special attention to the base on which the Bronze Horseman is located. attracted many talented people... The rock, a granite block, personifies the difficulties that Peter overcomes on his way. After he has reached the top, it acquires the meaning of subordination, subordination to his will of all circumstances. The granite block, made in the form of a surging wave, also indicates the conquest of the sea. The location of the entire monument is very indicative. Peter I, the founder of the city of St. Petersburg, despite all the difficulties, creates a seaport for his state. That is why the figure is placed closer to the river and turned to face it. Peter I (The Bronze Horseman) seems to continue to gaze into the distance, assess the threats to his state and plan new great achievements. In order to form your own opinion about this symbol of the city on the Neva and all of Russia, you must visit it, feel the powerful energy of the place, the character reflected by the sculptor. The reviews of many tourists, including foreign ones, boil down to one thought: speechless for a few minutes. In this case, it is striking not only but also the awareness of its importance for the history of Russia.