The history of the creation of the work The Bronze Horseman is brief. Who is depicted on the Bronze Horseman monument

Poem " Bronze Horseman"is one of the most capacious, mysterious and complex poems by Pushkin. He wrote it in the fall of 1833 in the famous Boldin. This place and time gave extraordinary inspiration to Alexander Sergeevich. The idea of Pushkin’s “Bronze Horseman” clearly echoes the works of writers who lived much later and dedicated their creations, firstly, to the theme of St. Petersburg, and secondly, to the theme of the clash of great power ideas and interests “ little man" The poem has two opposing characters and an insoluble conflict between them.

“The Bronze Horseman”: the history of the creation of the poem

Pushkin worked intensively on the poem and finished it very quickly - in just twenty-five October days. During his creative period, Alexander Sergeevich also worked on “The Queen of Spades,” which he wrote in prose, and on the poetic story “Angelo.” The stunning “Bronze Horseman” fits seamlessly into this, the history of whose creation is closely connected not only with realistic motifs and documents of the era, but also with the mythology that has developed around the great man and the city that arose according to his highest will.

Censorship restrictions and controversy surrounding the poem

“The Petersburg Tale,” as the author designated its genre, was censored by Emperor Nicholas I himself, who returned the manuscript with nine pencil marks. The disgruntled poet printed the text of the introduction to the poem “The Bronze Horseman” (the history of the creation of the poetic story is overshadowed by this fact) with eloquent voids in place of the king’s notes. Later, Pushkin nevertheless rewrote these passages, but in such a way that the meaning embedded in them did not change. Reluctantly, the sovereign allowed the publication of the poem “The Bronze Horseman.” The history of the creation of the work is also connected with the heated controversy that flared up around the poem after its publication.

Points of view of literary scholars

The controversy continues to this day. It is traditional to talk about three groups of interpreters of the poem. The first includes researchers who affirm the “state” aspect that shines in the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. This group of literary scholars, led by him, put forward the version that Pushkin in the poem substantiated the right to carry out fateful deeds for the country, sacrificing the interests and the very life of a simple, inconspicuous person.

Humanistic interpretation

Representatives of another group, headed by the poet Valery Bryusov, Professor Makagonenko and other authors, completely took the side of another character - Eugene, arguing that the death of even the most insignificant person from the point of view of the idea of great power cannot be justified great achievements. This point of view is called humanistic. Many literary scholars tend to evaluate the story “The Bronze Horseman” in this way; the story of the poem, the plot of which is based on the personal tragedy of a “little” man suffering from the results of a strong-willed decision by the authorities, is confirmation of this.

Eternal conflict

Representatives of the third group of researchers express a system of views about tragic unsolvability. They believe that Pushkin gave an objective picture in the story “The Bronze Horseman”. History itself has decided the eternal conflict between the “miraculous builder” Peter the Great and “poor” Eugene - an ordinary city dweller with his modest needs and dreams. Two truths - the common man and statesman- remain equal in size, and none is inferior to the other.

Terrible events and the poem “The Bronze Horseman”

The history of the creation of the poem, of course, fits firmly into the cultural and historical context of the time when it was created. Those were the times of debate about the place of personality in history and the influence of great transformations on destinies ordinary people. This topic worried Pushkin since the late 1820s. Taking as a basis documentary information about the flood that occurred in St. Petersburg on November 7, 1824, about which newspapers published, genius poet and the thinker comes to major philosophical and social generalizations. The personality of the great and brilliant reformer Peter, who “put Russia on its hind legs,” appears in the context of the personal tragedy of the insignificant official Eugene with his narrow-philistine dreams of his little happiness, which is not so unconditionally great and worthy of praise. Therefore, Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman” is not limited to odic praise of the transformer who opened the “window to Europe.”

Contrasting Petersburg

The northern capital arose thanks to the strong-willed decision of Tsar Peter the Great after the victory over the Swedes. Its foundation was intended to confirm this victory, to show the strength and power of Russia, and also to open the way for free cultural and trade exchange with European countries. A city that felt great human spirit, revealed in a strict and harmonious architectural appearance, speaking to the symbolism of sculptures and monuments, appears before us in the story “The Bronze Horseman”. The history of the creation of St. Petersburg is based, however, not only on greatness. Built on topi blat, which contained the bones of thousands of unknown builders, the city is engulfed in an ominous and mysterious atmosphere. Oppressive poverty high mortality rate, superiority in diseases and the number of suicides - this is the other side of the magnificent crowned capital in the times about which Alexander Pushkin wrote. The two faces of the city, appearing one through the other, enhance the mythological component of the poem. The “transparent twilight” of pale city lighting gives the inhabitants the feeling that they live in some mysteriously symbolic place in which monuments and statues can come to life and move with ominous determination. And the history of the creation of the “Bronze Horseman” is also to a large extent connected with this. Pushkin, as a poet, could not help but be interested in such a transformation, which became the culmination of the plot. In the story, a cold man galloping loudly along the deserted pavement came to life. bronze monument, pursuing Eugene, distraught with grief after the loss of his beloved and the collapse of all his hopes.

Introduction idea

But before we hear the ground shake under the hoof iron horse, we have to experience the sad and cruel events that happened in the life of the unfortunate Eugene, who will blame the great Builder for building the city on lands prone to destructive floods, and also realize the bright and majestic introduction with which the poem “The Bronze Horseman” opens.

Peter is standing on the bank of a wild river, on the waves of which a frail boat is rocking, and around him there is a rustling sound, with wretched huts of “Chukhons” sticking out here and there. But in his mind's eye the founder northern capital already sees a “wonderful city”, rising “proudly” and “magnificently” above the granite-clad Neva, a city associated with future state successes and great achievements. Pushkin does not name Peter - the emperor is mentioned here using the pronoun “he”, and this emphasizes the ambiguity of the odic structure of the introduction. Reflecting on how Russia will someday “threaten the Swede” from here, the great figure does not at all see today’s “Finnish fisherman” who threw his “decrepit” net into the water. The Emperor sees a future in which ships are heading to rich marinas from all over the world, but does not notice those who sail in a lonely canoe and huddle in rare huts on the shore. When creating a state, the ruler forgets about those for whose sake it is created. And this painful discrepancy fuels the idea of the poem “The Bronze Horseman.” Pushkin, for whom history was not just a collection of archival documents, but a bridge thrown into the present and future, feels especially keenly and expressively conveys this conflict.

Why did the bronze horseman turn out to be copper in the poet’s mouth?

The point, of course, is not only that the writers of the 19th century did not see a significant semantic difference between bronze and copper. It is deeply symbolic that this is the Bronze Horseman. The history of writing the poem in in this case closes with the biblical allegory. It is no coincidence that the poet calls the statue of Peter “an idol” and “an idol” - the authors of the Bible speak exactly the same words, telling about which the Jews worshiped instead of the Living God. Here the idol is not even gold, but only copper - this is how the author reduces the brilliance and grandeur of the image, sparkling with external dazzling luxury, but hiding inside it is not at all precious content. These are the subtexts of the story of the creation of the Bronze Horseman.

Pushkin cannot be suspected of unconditional sympathy for the sovereign idea. However, his attitude towards the fictional idyll constructed in Eugene’s dreams is ambiguous. The hopes and plans of the “little man” are far from deep spiritual quests, and in this Pushkin sees their limitations.

Climax and resolution of the plot

After a colorful introduction and a declaration of love for the city, Pushkin warns that what follows will be about “terrible” events. A hundred years after what happened on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, St. Petersburg official Evgeniy returns home after serving and dreams of his bride Parasha. He is no longer destined to see her, since she, like her modest house, will be carried away by the “frenzied” waters of the “enraged” Neva. When the elements fall silent, Eugene will rush to search for his beloved and make sure that she is no longer alive. His consciousness cannot withstand the blow, and the young man goes crazy. He wanders around the unpleasant city, becomes a target for ridicule from the local children, and completely forgets the way home. For his troubles, Eugene blames Peter, who built the city in an inappropriate place and thereby exposed people to mortal danger. In despair, the madman threatens the bronze idol: “Too bad for you!..” Following that inflamed consciousness, he hears a heavy and ringing “jumping” on the stones of the pavement and sees a Horseman rushing after him with an outstretched hand. After some time, Evgeniy is found dead at the threshold of his house and buried. This is how the poem ends.

Element as a full-fledged hero

What role does the element play here, which does not depend on human will and is capable of destroying everything to the ground? Researchers of the story are convinced that, by dividing people, it connects times with a certain metaphorical chain of cause and effect. It combines two plots of the story - external and internal - eventful and symbolic. as if awakening the energy of the elements, which on the external plane destroys destinies and impedes human happiness. The resolution of this conflict lies in the fact that the gap between the greatness of the sovereign's plans and the spiritual space of the personality of the common man is overcome and closed. These are the problems of Pushkin’s work “The Bronze Horseman”, the history of the creation of the poem and the beginning of the mystical series of “St. Petersburg” stories and novels with which the creators of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries would saturate Russian literature.

Poem and monument

The opening of the monument to Peter the Great in St. Petersburg took place at the end of the summer of 1782. The monument, impressive with grace and grandeur, was erected by Catherine the Second. Above creation equestrian statue worked hard French sculptors Marie Anne Collot and the Russian master Fyodor Gordeev, who sculpted a bronze snake under the furious hoof of Petrov's horse. A monolith, nicknamed the thunder stone, was installed at the foot of the statue; its weight was slightly less than two and a half tons (the entire monument weighs about 22 tons). From the place where the block was discovered and found suitable for the monument, the stone was carefully transported for about four months.

After the publication of Alexander Pushkin’s poem, the hero of which the poet made this particular monument, the sculpture was named the Bronze Horseman. Residents and guests of St. Petersburg have an excellent opportunity to contemplate this monument, which, without exaggeration, can be called a symbol of the city, almost in its original architectural ensemble.

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 Great, - Bronze Horseman. Any guide can give a description of the monument in sufficient detail; everything in this story is interesting: from the creation of a sketch to the installation process. Many legends and myths are associated with it. The first of these relates to the origin of the sculpture's name. It was given much later than the construction 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 work of the same name called him the Bronze Horseman. The great Russian poet, born 17 years after the installation of the monument, did not imagine 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 depicted in it):

...What a thought on the brow!

What power is hidden in it!..

...O powerful lord of fate!..

Peter does not appear a simple person, not a great king, but practically a demigod. These epithets were inspired by Pushkin’s monument, its scale and fundamental nature. The horseman is not made of copper, the sculpture itself is made of bronze, and a solid granite block 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 it is not worth paying attention to such trifles. To today the description of the Bronze Horseman monument in St. Petersburg is inextricably linked with the work of the great Russian classic.

Story

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 approval of the empress 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 him leaving Russia without ever seeing his creation in its finished form. Having studied the personality of Peter from 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 the way to the sea for it, bringing it closer to Europe. Falcone was faced with the fact that Catherine and all the senior officials already had a ready-made image of the monument; all he had to do was create the expected forms. If this had happened, then 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, facilitated by bureaucratic squabbles, the dissatisfaction of the empress and the complexity of the created image.

Installation

Even recognized masters of their craft did not take on the casting of the figure of Peter on horseback, so Falcone brought in Emelyan Khailov, who cast the cannons. The size of the monument was not the most main problem, it was much more important to maintain weight balance. With only three points of support, the sculpture had to be stable. The original solution was to introduce a snake into the monument, which was a symbol of defeated evil. At the same time, it provided additional support for the sculptural group. We can say that the monument was created in collaboration with the sculptor, his student Marie-Anne Collot (head of Peter, 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). The huge granite block was split by lightning, which is why the local population gave it the name Thunder Stone, which was later preserved. According to Falcone's plan, the sculpture should stand on a base that imitates a billowing wave. The stone was delivered to Senate Square by land and water, while work on cutting the granite block did not stop. The entire Russia and Europe followed the extraordinary transportation; in honor of its completion, Catherine ordered the minting of a medal. In September 1770, a granite base was installed on Senate Square. The location of the monument was also controversial. The Empress insisted on installing the monument in the center of the square, but Falcone placed it closer to the Neva, and Peter’s gaze was also directed towards the river. Although there are fierce debates about this to this day: where did the Bronze Horseman turn his gaze? The description of the monument by various researchers contains great options answer. Some believe that the king is looking at Sweden, with whom 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 surveys the city he founded.

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, stretching one hand over the flowing Neva. His head is decorated with a laurel wreath, and the horse’s feet trample on a snake, personifying evil (in the broad sense of the word). On the granite base, by order of Catherine II, the inscription “Catherine II to Peter I” and the date - 1782 were made. 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, its 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 develops 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.S. 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 reader's attention with its brightness and integrity of the image. This work has become one of the symbols of Russia, like the monument itself. “The Bronze Horseman, a description of the monument” - high school students from all over the country write essays on this topic. At the same time, the role of Pushkin’s poem and his vision of sculpture appear in every essay. From the moment the monument was opened until today, there have been mixed opinions about the composition as a whole. Many Russian writers used the image created by Falcone in their work. Everyone found symbolism in it, which they interpreted in accordance with their views, but there is no doubt that Peter I personifies Russia’s movement forward. 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

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

Head

The king's facial features are slightly idealized, but the portrait resemblance is not lost. The work on Peter's head lasted a long time, its results constantly did not satisfy the empress. Petra, photographed by Rastrelli, helped Falconet's student create the face of the king. Her work was highly appreciated by Catherine II; Marie-Anne Collot was awarded a life annuity. The whole figure, the position of the head, the fierce gesture, the inner fire expressed in the gaze, show the character of Peter I.

Location

Falcone paid special attention to the base on which the Bronze Horseman is located. this topic has attracted many talented people. The rock, the granite block, personifies the difficulties that Peter overcomes on his way. After he has reached the top, he acquires the meaning of subordination, subordination to his will of all circumstances. The granite block, made in the form of a billowing wave, also indicates the conquest of the sea. The location of the entire monument is very revealing. Peter I, the founder of the city of St. Petersburg, despite all difficulties, creates a seaport for his power. 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 peer into the distance, assess 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 need to visit it, feel the powerful energy of the place, the character reflected by the sculptor. Reviews from many tourists, including foreign ones, boil down to one thought: for a few minutes you are speechless. What is striking in this case is not only the awareness of its importance for the history of Russia.

History of the monument

The equestrian statue of Peter was made by sculptor Etienne Falconet in -. Peter's head was sculpted by Falconet's student, Marie-Anna Collot. According to Falconet's design, the snake was sculpted by Fyodor Gordeev. The casting of the statue under the direction of master Emelyan Khailov was completed in 1778.

For the pedestal of the monument, a giant granite boulder was brought from the outskirts of Lakhta, “ Thunder-stone" The stone weighed 1600 tons. Its transportation to the shore of the Gulf of Finland (about 8 versts) was carried out on a log platform along two special chutes, into which 30 bronze five-inch balls were placed. The platform was driven by several gates. This unique operation lasted from November 15, 1769 to March 27, 1770. Transportation of the stone by water was carried out on a vessel specially built for this purpose according to the drawing of the famous shipwright Grigory Korchebnikov and began only in the fall. The giant “Thunder Stone”, with a huge crowd of people, arrived in St. Petersburg on Senate Square on September 26, 1770. In honor of the transportation of the stone, a commemorative medal was stamped with the inscription “Like daring.”

In 1778, due to sudden change Due to Catherine II's relationship with Falcone, he was forced to leave Russia. And the work to complete the monument was entrusted to Yu. M. Felten. The monument was inaugurated on August 7, 1782. Ironically, Falcone was never invited to its opening.

This was the first equestrian monument to the Russian Tsar. In conventional attire, on a rearing horse, Peter is depicted by Falcone primarily as a legislator: in the hierarchy of classicism, legislators are higher than generals. Here is what Falcone himself wrote about this: “My monument will be simple... I will limit 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 and legislator is much higher...” The sculptor depicted Peter in an emphatically dynamic state, dressed him in simple and light clothes, and replaced the rich saddle with an animal skin, so that all this would not be conspicuous and would not distract attention from the main thing. The pedestal in the form of a huge rock is a symbol of the difficulties Peter I overcame, and the snake under the feet of a rearing horse depicts hostile forces. And only the laurel wreath crowning the head and the sword hanging at the belt indicate Peter’s role as a victorious commander.

Catherine II, Diderot and Voltaire took part in the discussion of the concept of the monument. The monument was supposed to depict the victory of civilization, reason, human will over wildlife. The pedestal of the monument was intended to symbolize nature, barbarism, and the fact that Falcone carved the grandiose Thunder Stone, polished it, caused indignation and criticism of his contemporaries.

The inscription on the pedestal reads: “Catherine the second to Peter the Great, summer 1782” on one side, and “Petro primo Catharina secunda” on the other, thereby emphasizing the empress’s intention: to establish a line of succession, inheritance between the actions of Peter and her own activities.

The monument to Peter I is already in late XVIII century became the object of urban legends and jokes, and in early XIX century - one of the most popular themes in Russian poetry.

The Legend of Major Baturin

There is an assumption that the legend of Major Baturin formed the basis of the plot of A.S. Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman”. There is also an assumption that the legend of Major Baturin was the reason that during the Great Patriotic War the monument remained in place and was not hidden, like other sculptures.

Literature

Architectural monuments of Leningrad. - Leningrad, Stroyizdat. 1975.
Knabe G. S. Imagination of the sign: The Bronze Horseman of Falcone and Pushkin. M., 1993.
Toporov V. N. On the dynamic context of three-dimensional works fine arts(semiotic view). Falconet monument to Peter I // Lotmanov collection. 1. M., 1995.
Proskurina V. Petersburg myth and the politics of monuments: Peter the First to Catherine the Second // New Literary Review. 2005. No. 72.

Footnotes

Links

The story of the Bronze Horseman. Photos, how to get there, what’s nearby
The Bronze Horseman in the Wedding Encyclopedia

Coordinates: 59°56′11″ n. w. 30°18′08″ E. d. / 59.936389° s. w. 30.302222° E. d.(G)59.936389 , 30.302222

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See what “Bronze Horseman (monument)” is in other dictionaries:

"The Bronze Horseman"- Monument to Peter I (“Bronze Horseman”). Monument to Peter I (“Bronze Horseman”). Saint Petersburg. “The Bronze Horseman”, a poetic designation for the monument to Peter I, sung by A. S. Pushkin in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” (1833). Monumental statue of a horseman,... ... Encyclopedic reference"Saint Petersburg"

Bronze Horseman: Bronze Horseman monument to Peter I St. Petersburg The Bronze Horseman poem by A. S. Pushkin The Bronze Horseman ballet to the music of R. M. Gliere The Bronze Horseman film award ... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Bronze Horseman (meanings). Coordinates: 59° N. w. 30° E. d. / 59.9364° n. w. 30.3022° E. d. ... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Bronze Horseman (meanings). Bronze Horseman ... Wikipedia

"The Bronze Horseman"- CROSS HORSEMAN Pushkin's name. monument to Peter I in St. Petersburg. After publication by one. poems became widespread. The monument, the first equestrian monument in Russia, was opened in 1782. Its creators were sculptors E. Falcone, M. A. Collo, F. Gordeev, architect. Yu... ... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary

Poetic designation for the monument to Peter I, sung by A. S. Pushkin in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” (1833). A monumental statue of a horseman, with an imperious hand squeezing the reins of a horse rearing in a swift rush, personifying the growth of power... ... St. Petersburg (encyclopedia)

- “BRONZE HORSEMAN”, a poetic designation for the monument to Peter I (see PETER I the Great) in St. Petersburg (Leningrad), sung by A. S. Pushkin (see PUSHKIN Alexander Sergeevich) in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” (1833). Bronze equestrian statue of Peter,... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

P The monument 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, the building of the main legislative body founded by the emperor. Tsarist Russia- Senate.

In 1710, on the site of the current Bronze Horseman, in the premises of the “drafting shed,” the very first wooden St. Isaac’s Church was located.

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

Falcone was invited to St. Petersburg by Prince Golitsyn. Professors of the Paris Academy of Painting Diderot and Voltaire, whose taste Catherine II trusted, advised to turn to this master.
Falcone was already fifty years old. He worked for porcelain factory, but dreamed big and monumental art. When an invitation was received to erect a monument in Russia, Falcone, without hesitation, signed the 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. Most likely, she also helped him in bed, but history is silent about this...
The vision of the monument to Peter I by the author of the sculpture was strikingly different from the desire of the empress and the majority of the Russian nobility. Catherine II expected to see Peter I with a rod or scepter in his hand, sitting on a horse like a Roman emperor. State Councilor Shtelin saw the figure of Peter surrounded by allegories of Prudence, Diligence, Justice and Victory. I. I. Betskoy, who supervised the construction of the monument, imagined it as a full-length figure, holding a commander’s staff in his hand.

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

Falcone had something completely different in mind. He turned out to be stubborn and persistent. The sculptor wrote:
“I will limit myself only to the statue of this hero, whom I do not interpret as either a great commander or 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 needs to be shown people. My king does not hold any rod, he extends his beneficent right hand over the country he travels around. He rises to the top of the rock that serves as his pedestal - this is an emblem of the difficulties he has conquered.”

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

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

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

“You know that I will not dress him in Roman style, just as I would not dress 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, passersby could watch here as a guards officer took off on a horse onto a wooden platform and reared it. This went on for several hours a day. Falcone sat at the window in front of the platform and carefully sketched what he saw. The horses for 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.

Falconet's student Marie-Anne Collot sculpted the head of the Bronze Horseman. The sculptor himself took on 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 Russian Academy arts, Catherine II assigned her a lifelong pension of 10,000 livres.

The snake under the horse’s foot was sculpted by the Russian sculptor F. G. Gordeev.
Preparing the life-size plaster model of the monument took twelve years; it was ready by 1778. The model was open for public viewing in the workshop on the corner of Brick Lane and Bolshaya Morskaya Street. Various opinions were expressed. The Chief Prosecutor of the Synod resolutely did not accept the project. Diderot was pleased with what he saw. Catherine II turned out to be indifferent to the model of the monument - she did not like Falcone’s arbitrariness in choosing the appearance of the monument.

Bust of Falconet Marie-Anne Collot 1773

For a long time, no one wanted to take on the task of casting the statue. Foreign masters demanded too much a large amount, and local craftsmen were frightened by its size and complexity of work. According to the sculptor's calculations, in order to maintain the balance of the monument, the front walls of the monument had to be 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 was no such example of casting in the world, that it would not succeed.

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

The technology was very complex. The thickness of the front walls had to be less than the thickness of the rear ones. At the same time rear end became heavier, which gave stability to the statue, which rested on only two fulcrum points (a snake is not a fulcrum, more on that below).

Filling alone, which began on August 25, 1775, did not solve the problem. Khailov was entrusted with her supervision. 1,350 pounds of bronze were prepared, and when all of it, molten, flowed into the mold, the mold cracked and the metal poured onto the floor. A fire started. Falconet 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 in his homespun and coated it with clay, picked up the spilled bronze and poured it back into the mold. The monument was saved, and the errors that arose due to the accident were later corrected when polishing the statue.

The St. Petersburg Gazette wrote about these events:
“The casting was successful except in places two feet by two at the top. This regrettable failure occurred through an incident that was not at all foreseeable, and therefore impossible to prevent. The above-mentioned incident seemed so terrible that they were afraid that the entire building would go up in flames, but, Therefore, the whole business would not have failed. Khailov remained motionless and carried the molten metal into the mold, without losing his courage in the least at the danger to his life presented to him, Falconet, touched at the end of the matter, rushed to him and kissed him with all his heart and gave him his own. money."

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

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

The second filling was carried out in November 1777, and it was a complete success. In memory of this unique operation, on one of the folds of Peter I’s cloak, the sculptor left the inscription “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, Parisian 1778.” Not a word about Khailov.

According to the sculptor’s plan, the base of the monument is a natural rock in the shape of a wave. The shape of the wave serves as a reminder that it was Peter I who led Russia to the sea. The Academy of Arts began searching for the monolith stone when the model of the monument was not yet ready. A stone was needed whose height 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 struck the rock, forming a crack in it. Among local residents The rock was called "Thunder Stone".

That’s what they later began to call it when they installed it on the banks of the Neva under famous monument. There were rumors that in the old days there was a temple on it. And sacrifices were made.

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

A clearing was cut from the location of the stone to the shore of the bay and the soil was strengthened. The rock was freed from excess layers, and it immediately became lighter by 600 tons. The thunder-stone was hoisted with levers onto a wooden platform resting on copper balls. These balls moved on grooved wooden rails lined with copper. The clearing was winding. Work on transporting the rock continued in both cold and hot weather. Hundreds of people worked. Many St. Petersburg residents came to watch this action. Some of the observers collected fragments of stone and used them to make cane knobs or cufflinks. In honor of the extraordinary transport operation, Catherine II ordered the minting of a medal with the inscription “Like daring. January 20, 1770.”

The poet Vasily Rubin wrote in the same year:
The Russian Mountain, not made by hands here, Hearing the voice of God from the lips of Catherine, Came to the city of Petrov through the Neva abyss. And she fell under the feet of the Great Peter.

By the time the monument to Peter I was erected, the relationship between the sculptor and imperial court completely spoiled. It got to the point that Falcone was credited with only a technical attitude towards the monument.

Portrait of Marie-Anne Collot

The offended 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 about 10 tons, still had to be erected...

The installation of the Bronze Horseman on the pedestal was supervised by the architect F. G. Gordeev.

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

It had been raining since the morning, but it did not stop 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 led by Prince A.M. Golitsyn. At four o'clock, Empress Catherine II herself arrived on the boat. She climbed onto the balcony of the Senate building in a crown and purple and gave a sign for the opening of the monument. The fence fell, and to the beat of drums the regiments moved along the Neva embankment.

By order of Catherine II, the following is inscribed on the pedestal: “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.

"Bronze Horseman" sculpture in his poem of the same name named by A.S. Pushkin. This expression has become so popular that it has become almost official. And the monument to Peter I itself became one of the symbols of St. Petersburg.
The weight of the "Bronze Horseman" is 8 tons, the height is more than 5 meters.

Neither the wind nor the 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 ahead, wrapped in a wide cloak. It seemed that he was waiting for the travelers and, when they approached, he walked next to them. Pavel shuddered and turned to Kurakin: “Someone is walking next to us.” However, he did not see anyone and tried to convince the Grand Duke of this. Suddenly the ghost spoke: “Paul! Poor Pavel! I am the one who takes part in you.” Then the ghost walked ahead of the travelers, as if leading them along. Approaching the middle of the square, he indicated the place for the future monument. “Goodbye, Pavel,” said the ghost, “you will see me here again.” And when, leaving, he raised his hat, Pavel saw Peter’s face with horror.

The legend is believed to date back to the memoirs of Baroness von Oberkirch, who details the circumstances under which Paul himself publicly told the story. Bearing in mind the high reliability of the memoirs based on many years diary entries and the friendship between the Baroness and Maria Feodorovna, 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 Napoleonic invasion was real, Alexander I decided to transport the monument to Peter to Vologda. A certain captain Baturin dreamed strange dream: as if the Bronze Horseman is moving off the pedestal and galloping towards Stone Island, where Emperor Alexander I was at that time. “Young man, what have you brought my Russia to?” Peter tells him. “But as long as I stand in my place, my city has nothing to fear.” Then the horseman, announcing the city with a “heavy ringing gallop,” returned to Senate Square. According to legend, the dream of the 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 boot of a Napoleonic soldier, like a fascist one, did not touch the St. Petersburg pavements.

The famous mystic and spirit seer 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 hand of the Bronze Horseman is the only source light, while Peter sits not on a horse, but on a creepy dragon...

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

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

Restorations of the monument took place in 1909 and 1976. During the last of them, the sculpture was studied using gamma rays. To do this, the area around the monument was fenced off with sandbags and concrete blocks. The cobalt gun was controlled from a nearby bus. Thanks to this research, it turned out that the frame of the monument can still serve for many years. Inside the figure was a capsule with a note about the restoration and its participants, a newspaper dated September 3, 1976.

Etienne-Maurice Falconet conceived The Bronze Horseman without a fence. But it was still created and 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 previously thought, but on two. The snake and the horse's tail do not carry any load.

The snake trampled by the horse and the tail serve only to separate air flow and reducing the windage of the monument.

2. Peter’s pupils are made in the shape of hearts. Peter looks at the city with loving eyes. So Falcone conveyed to his descendants the news 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 in myths and legends. It is also in foreign collections. This is how the Japanese imagined it.

Illustration from the 11th scroll "Kankai Ibun". The monument is painted Japanese artist from the words of the sailors)))

Late in the evening the monument is no less mysterious and beautiful...

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

Reinhold Gliere - Waltz from the ballet "The Bronze Horseman"

The monument to Peter I, a bronze monument of a rider on a rearing horse flying to the top of a cliff, better known thanks to the poem by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin as “The Bronze Horseman” is an integral part architectural ensemble and one of the most striking 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, and 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. Professors of the Paris Academy of Painting Diderot and Voltaire, whose taste Catherine II trusted, advised to turn to this master.

Falcone was already fifty years old. He worked at 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 the 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 I by the author of the sculpture was strikingly different from the desire of the empress and the majority of the Russian nobility. Catherine II expected to see Peter I with a rod or scepter in his hand, sitting on a horse like a Roman emperor.

State Councilor Shtelin saw the figure of Peter surrounded by allegories of Prudence, Diligence, Justice and Victory. I.I. Betskoy, who supervised the construction of the monument, imagined it as a full-length figure, holding a commander’s staff 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 Colleges. Diderot, who visited St. Petersburg in 1773, conceived a monument in the form of a fountain decorated with allegorical figures.
Falcone had something completely different in mind. He turned out to be stubborn and persistent.

The sculptor wrote:

“I will limit 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 needs to be shown to people. My king does not hold any rod, he extends his beneficent right hand over the country he travels around. He climbs to the top of the rock, which serves as his pedestal - this is an emblem of the difficulties he has overcome.”

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

“Could you imagine that the sculptor chosen to create such a significant monument would be deprived of the ability to think and that the movements of his hands would be controlled by someone else’s head, and not his own?”

Disputes also arose around the clothes of Peter I. The sculptor wrote to Diderot:
“You know that I will not dress him in Roman style, just as I would not dress 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 guards officer took off on a horse onto a wooden platform and reared it. This went on for several hours a day.

Falcone sat at the window in front of the platform and carefully sketched what he saw. The horses for 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.

Falconet's student Marie-Anne Collot sculpted the head of the Bronze Horseman. The sculptor himself took on 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 assigned her a lifelong pension of 10,000 livres.

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

Preparing the life-size plaster model of the monument took twelve years; it was ready by 1778.

The model was open for public viewing in the workshop on the corner of Brick Lane and Bolshaya Morskaya Street. Various opinions were expressed. The Chief Prosecutor of the Synod resolutely did not accept the project. Diderot was pleased with what he saw. Catherine II turned out to be indifferent to the model of the monument - she did not like Falcone’s arbitrariness in choosing the appearance of the monument.

For a long time, no one wanted to take on the task of casting the statue. Foreign craftsmen demanded too much money, and local craftsmen were frightened by its size and complexity of work. According to the sculptor’s calculations, in order to maintain the balance of the monument, the front walls of the monument had to be 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 was no such example of casting in the world, that it would not succeed.

The technology was very complex. The thickness of the front walls had to be less than the thickness of the rear ones. At the same time, the back part became heavier, which gave stability to the statue, which rested on only three points of support.

Filling the statue alone was not enough. During the first, the pipe through which hot bronze was supplied to the mold burst. The upper part of the sculpture was damaged. I had to cut it down and prepare for the second filling for another three years. This time the job was a success. In memory of her, on one of the folds of Peter I’s cloak, the sculptor left the inscription “Sculpted and cast by Etienne Falconet, a Parisian of 1778.”

The St. Petersburg Gazette wrote about these events:

“On August 24, 1775, Falconet cast a statue of Peter the Great on horseback here. The casting was successful except in places two feet by two at the top. This regrettable failure occurred through an incident that was not at all foreseeable, and therefore impossible to prevent.

The above-mentioned incident seemed so terrible that they feared that the entire building would catch fire, and, consequently, the whole business would fail. Khailov remained motionless and carried the molten metal into the mold, without losing his vigor in the least in the face of danger to his life.

Falcone, touched by such courage at the end of the case, rushed to him and kissed him with all his heart 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 struck the rock, forming a crack in it. Among the locals, the rock was called “Thunder Stone”. That’s what they later began to call it when they installed it on the banks of the Neva under the famous monument.

Split boulder - suspected fragment of Thunder Stone

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

Hundreds of people worked. Many St. Petersburg residents came to watch this action. Some of the observers collected fragments of stone and used them to make cane knobs or cufflinks. In honor of the extraordinary transport operation, Catherine II ordered the minting of a medal on which it was written “Like daring. January 20, 1770.”

The poet Vasily Rubin wrote in the same year:

The Russian Mountain, not made by hands, is here,
Hearing the voice of God from the lips of Catherine,
Came to the city of Petrov through the Neva abyss
And she 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 completely deteriorated. It got to the point that Falcone was credited with only a technical attitude towards the monument. The offended 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 supervised 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 hidden from the eyes of observers by a canvas fence depicting mountain landscapes. It had been raining since the morning, but it did not stop 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 led by Prince A.M. Golitsyn. At four o'clock, Empress Catherine II herself arrived on the boat. She climbed onto the balcony of the Senate building in a crown and purple and gave a sign for the opening of the monument. The fence fell, and to the beat of drums the regiments moved along the Neva embankment.

A.S. called the sculpture “Bronze Horseman” in his poem of the same name. Pushkin, although in fact it is made of bronze. This expression has become so popular that it has become almost official. And the monument to Peter I itself became one of the symbols of St. Petersburg.

The weight of the “Bronze Horseman” is 8 tons, the height is more than 5 meters.

Legend of the Bronze Horseman

Since its installation, it has become 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, there are also legends about the pedestal of the Bronze Horseman. According to the sculptor Falcone, it was supposed to be made in the shape of a wave. A suitable stone was found near the village of Lakhta: supposedly a local holy fool pointed out the stone. Some historians find it possible that this is exactly the 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 the borders of St. Petersburg. One of the remote settlements had its own version of the origin of the monument. The version was that one day Peter the Great amused himself by jumping on his horse from one bank of the Neva to the other.

The first time he exclaimed: “Everything is God’s and mine!”, and jumped over the river. The second time he 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: “Everything is mine and God’s!” At that moment, God's punishment overtook him: he became petrified and forever remained a monument to himself.

The Legend of Major Baturin

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

In particular, State Secretary 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 secured a meeting with the Tsar’s personal friend, Prince Golitsyn, and told him that he and Baturin were haunted by the same dream. He sees himself on Senate Square. Peter's face turns. The horseman rides off his cliff and heads through the streets of St. Petersburg to Kamenny Island, where Alexander I then lived.

The horseman 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 the “heavy, ringing gallop” is heard again. Struck by Baturin’s story, Prince Golitsyn conveyed the dream to the sovereign. As a result, Alexander I reversed his decision to evacuate the monument. The monument remained in place.

There is an assumption that the legend of Major Baturin formed the basis of the plot of A. S. Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman”. There is also an assumption that the legend of Major Baturin was the reason that during the Great Patriotic War the monument remained in place and was not hidden, like other sculptures.

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

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

Etienne-Maurice Falconet conceived The Bronze Horseman without a fence. But it was still created and has not survived to this day.

“Thanks to” the vandals who leave their autographs on the thunder stone and the sculpture itself, the idea of restoring the fence may soon be realized.

compilation of material -