The first creations of human hands, which can be called sculpture, appeared in prehistoric times and were idols worshiped by our ancestors. Over the past hundreds of thousands of years, the art of sculpture has reached unprecedented heights, and today in museums and on the streets of many cities around the world you can see real masterpieces that invariably arouse admiration among visitors and passers-by. So which of the famous Russian and foreign masters of different eras can claim to have his name included in the category of “famous sculptors”, and which of their works are included in the golden fund of world art?
As already mentioned, the art of sculpture originated many millennia ago, as evidenced by numerous stone and clay three-dimensional images of people, animals and mythical creatures found during archaeological excavations. Of course, no one knows who their authors were, but history has preserved the names of some of the great sculptors who worked in the period from the 14th century BC to the present. e. and up to the 1st century AD. e.
For example, when asked who the most famous sculptors of the ancient world are, the great ancient Egyptian sculptor Thutmose the Younger is necessarily mentioned among others. He worked at the court of Pharaoh Akhenaten and created one of the most famous works of art of the Amarna period - the bust of Queen Nefertiti. There is much more information about who the most famous sculptors of Greece and Rome of the ancient period are. In particular, the masters Critias and Nesiot created in the 5th century BC. e. a magnificent composition of Harmodius and Aristogeiton, which subsequently inspired the sculptors of a later time more than once. Even greater heights in the skill of sculpture were achieved by the great Phidias, who is the author of gold and ivory, recognized as one of the wonders of the ancient world. It is impossible not to note the huge contribution to the development of ancient art, which was made by such famous sculptors as Skopas, Praxiteles and Lysippus, who created the so-called quadriga of St. Mark. As for the Roman sculptors, most of their creations, such as the famous Apollo Belvedere, are copies from Greek originals.
As you know, the beginning of the historical period that came after the fall of the Western Roman Empire was not the best time for the development of art. That is why no particularly significant works of sculptural art dating back to the 5th-12th centuries are known today. Fortunately, over time, the dictates of the church began to weaken, and sculptures of saints and rulers appeared, the authors of which allowed themselves to move away from the strict canons of religious art and make their creations more realistic. As an example, one can cite such masters as the father and son Pisano, who worked at the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th century. And, of course, when it comes to who the most famous sculptors of the Gothic period are, one cannot fail to name Adam Kraft, who created the luxurious altar of the Tetzel Chapel.
Perhaps there is hardly a person who does not know who the most famous sculptors and their works of the Renaissance period are. Indeed, such masterpieces as the statue of David and copies of which adorn Catholic churches around the world, as well as the monument to Gattamelata Donatello and “Perseus” by Benvenuto Cellini belong to this era. Of the French masters, it is worth noting Jean Goujon and Germain Pilon, who worked under the influence of their Italian colleagues.
A magnificent example of the art of modern sculpture is the famous Trevi Fountain at the Palazzo Poli in Rome, which is considered one of the symbols of the Italian capital. Its authors are Nicolo Salvi and Pietro Bracci, who made the figure of Neptune and tritons. In the 18th century, Edmond Bouchardon and Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, who became famous for his tombstones of the Roman popes, also worked. As for the English masters, one can single out a peculiar trio among them, consisting of John Flaxman, Joseph Nollekens and Thomas Banks.
The beginning of the century before last was marked by the appearance of a bright star of world sculpture - Bertel Thorvaldsen, who in 1803 presented his "Jason" to the public. After a high-profile world debut, he became an extremely sought-after master among eminent customers from different countries, and during his rather long creative life he sculpted many excellent compositions and portraits of famous people. In particular, it is worth mentioning the huge frieze depicting the exploits of Alexander the Great, created by him in 1812 to decorate the Quirinal Palace.
When considering who the most famous sculptors and their work of the 19th century were, one of the first names that comes to mind is Auguste Rodin. And this is not at all surprising, since his creations "The Thinker" and "The Kiss" are recognized as the greatest masterpieces of world art. As for the masters of sculpture in Germany, L. Schwanthaler deserves special mention, who created many wonderful works decorating palaces and other significant buildings in Munich.
In the last century, the traditions of the great Italian masters were continued by Giacomo Manza, who became famous for his creation of the Gate of Death, made for him in Rome. In addition, it is worth mentioning such masters as Jacques Lipchitz and Ossip Zadkine, who worked in a surrealist style. The category “The most famous sculptors of the world” also includes the work “Walking Man” created in 1961, which was estimated at Sotheby’s at 104.3 million US dollars. Among the sculptors of the late 20th century, it is also worth mentioning Lynn Chadwick and Barry Flanagan.
There is no need to talk about the art of sculpture in Russia in the pre-Petrine era, since it simply did not exist. The foundation of St. Petersburg made us think about decorating its palaces and squares with sculptural compositions, as was customary in European countries, so foreign masters began to be invited to the court. Thus, the first known "Russian" sculptors were foreigners. For example, several three-dimensional portraits have come down to us, cast by the father of the future great architect, K. B. Rastrelli.
After the foundation of the Second Academy of Arts by Catherine II, Russians began to study there. In particular, during the years of her reign, such pioneers of the domestic art of sculpture as F. Shubin, M. Kozlovsky and F. Gordeev, who created the famous Samson, distinguished themselves. Especially many gifted craftsmen appeared in the 19th century. In particular, it was during this period that such well-known sculptors of Russia as M. M. Antokolsky, the author of the monument to Peter the Great in Peterhof, A. M. Opekushin, P. Velionsky, and I. N. Schroeder worked.
One of the most recognizable works of sculpture of the first half of the 20th century, of course, is the famous monument of Vera Mukhina “Worker and Collective Farm Woman” - a recognized masterpiece of socialist realism. No less interesting are the works of E. Vutechich, who created the “Warrior-Liberator” for the Berlin Treptow Park and the world-famous statue “Motherland”, and M. Anikushin, the author of the monuments to A.P. Chekhov and A. Pushkin, which was installed in Leningrad in 1957.
As for who the most famous Russian sculptors of the post-Soviet period are, probably Ernst Neizvestny, who, having started his work back in the days of the USSR, was forced to emigrate to the United States, and his most significant work, “Mask of Sorrow”, should also be attributed to them. for the Magadan memorial to the victims of Stalinist repressions - created in 1996. Another sculptor who has received wide recognition in recent decades is M. Shemyakin, among whose works the multi-figure composition “Children - Victims of Adult Vices” deserves special mention.
Each new century gives rise to new trends in art, reveals the talents of still completely unknown artists, sculptors and architects. One of the most outstanding periods of the flowering of sculpture in Russia was the 18th century. With the coming to power of the last tsar of all Rus', art begins to experience a completely new stage. The door to the world of European creators was opened before a man.
During this period of time, large-scale construction of parks, estates, a completely new capital began to unfold in Russia - all this caused a need for plastic, which was supposed to be oriented to European models. The look at the sculptures has become completely different. New specimens are beginning to be imported from abroad, for example, a statue of the Tauric Venus. Peter the Great even issued a special decree to buy and bring sculptures from distant countries.
But, despite the fact that new opportunities were open to our sculptors, it took some more time to move away from ancient Russian sculpture. That is why at the beginning of the 18th century a lot of plastic art was made by foreign craftsmen.
The master of plastic art Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli, who arrived from abroad, created a unique sculpture - a bust of Peter the Great. In a majestic turn of the head, in a stern look, Rastrelli was able to fully convey the ardent and decisive character of the Russian emperor. The work was completed in 1723. Two styles merged together - classicism and baroque, which accurately showed the inflexibility of character and the majestic appearance of the sovereign.
Another masterpiece of the sculptor Carlo Rastrelli. This monument was made according to the idea of the emperor himself after the victory in the battle of Poltava. But the king never managed to see it: the sculpture was cast only during the reign of Paul the First. It was installed in St. Petersburg, next to the Mikhailovsky Castle. It was created in the spirit of European royal equestrian statues. Proud seating, antique attire, undoubtedly, emphasize the imperiousness and divinity of the king of an unshakable power. We are presented not just the image of a living person, but the strength and morality that are inherent only to the great.
Another work of art by an Italian sculptor. Pay attention to the multiple awards that adorn the bust of the associate and military figure of Peter the Great, and to his luxurious wig. The author did it for a reason. This image conveys the significance of Menshikov and his immense love for expensive decoration and luxury.
Before us appears the majestic figure of the empress, depicted in full growth, and still quite fragile and childish “figurine” of a young servant. The sculpture, made by Rastrelli in the spirit of the Baroque, conveys the royalty and grandeur of the Russian Empire with such a contrast.
The most prominent Russian sculptor of the early 18th century was Ivan Zarudny. He combined the traditions of Russian architecture and plastics with the European spirit. The altar of the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg became one of his most outstanding creations. But Zarudny was more of an architect than a master of plastic art. He made a huge contribution to the development of architecture, rather than sculpture.
In the second half of the 18th century, the work of our own, Russian sculptors began to appear more and more. The established Academy of Arts (creator - Peter the Great) produced such famous authors as Kozlovsky, Shubin, Gordeev, Shchedrin, Martos. The role of foreign masters was still quite significant, but we were already taking the first steps towards conquering the world of culture.
Shubin Fyodor Ivanovich made this marble sculpture specially for the holiday arranged by Count Potemkin in honor of the Empress. The realistic interpretation of the image emphasizes splendor and solemnity, combined with the unique features of Catherine herself.
All the works of this author are distinguished by a certain plasticity, a peculiar temperament and genuine realism. Marble busts of E.M. Chulkov, Pavel the First, M.V. Lomonosov, Prince Golitsyn, Catherine II convey their temper and show what they really were.
During the 18th century, Russian art underwent significant changes. We were able to reach a new level - we went from the traditions of Russian church-oriented sculpture, mastered the Baroque style and moved on to a completely new style in art - co-assicism.
I.M. Schmidt
Compared with architecture, the development of Russian sculpture in the 18th century was more uneven. The achievements that marked the second half of the 18th century are immeasurably more significant and varied. The relatively weak development of Russian plastic arts in the first half of the century was primarily due to the fact that here, unlike architecture, there were no such significant traditions and schools. The development of ancient Russian sculpture, limited by the prohibitions of the Orthodox Christian Church, had an effect.
Achievements of Russian plastic arts in the early 18th century. almost entirely associated with decorative sculpture. First of all, the unusually rich sculptural decoration of the Dubrovitskaya Church (1690-1704), the Menshikov Tower in Moscow (1705-1707) and the reliefs on the walls of the Summer Palace of Peter I in St. Petersburg (1714) should be noted. Executed in 1722-1726. the famous iconostasis of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, designed by architect I. P. Zarudny by carvers I. Telegin and T. Ivanov, can be considered, in essence, as the result of the development of this type of art. The huge carved iconostasis of the Peter and Paul Cathedral impresses with its solemn splendor, virtuosity of woodworking, richness and variety of decorative motifs.
Throughout the 18th century folk wooden sculpture continued to develop successfully, especially in the north of Russia. Contrary to the prohibitions of the synod, works of cult sculpture continued to be created for the Russian churches of the north; Numerous wood and stone carvers, heading for the construction of large cities, brought with them the traditions and creative techniques of folk art.
The most important state and cultural transformations that took place under Peter I opened up opportunities for Russian sculpture to develop it outside the sphere of church orders. There is a great interest in round easel sculpture and in the portrait bust. One of the very first works of new Russian plastic art was the statue of Neptune, installed in the Peterhof park. Cast in bronze in 1715-1716, it is still close to the style of Russian wooden sculpture of the 17th-18th centuries.
Without waiting for the cadres of his Russian masters to gradually take shape, Peter gave instructions to buy antique statues and works of modern sculpture abroad. With his active assistance, in particular, a wonderful statue was acquired, known as the Tauric Venus (now in the Hermitage); various statues and sculptural compositions were ordered for the palaces and parks of St. Petersburg, the Summer Garden; foreign sculptors were invited.
The most prominent of them was Carlo Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1675-1744), who arrived in Russia in 1716 and remained here until the end of his life. He is especially known as the author of a remarkable bust of Peter I, executed and cast in bronze in 1723-1729. (Hermitage).
The image of Peter I created by Rastrelli is distinguished by realism in the transfer of portrait features and at the same time by extraordinary solemnity. Peter's face expresses the indomitable strength of will, the determination of a great statesman. Even during the life of Peter I, Rastrelli removed the mask from his face, which served him both to create a dressed wax statue, the so-called "Wax person", and for a bust. Rastrelli was a typical Western European master of the late Baroque. However, in the conditions of Peter's Russia, the realistic aspects of his work were most developed. Of the later works of Rastrelli, the statue of Empress Anna Ioannovna with a black child (1741, bronze; Leningrad, Russian Museum) is widely known. In this work, on the one hand, the unbiased truthfulness of the portrait painter is striking, on the other hand, the magnificent splendor of the decision and the monumentalization of the image. Overwhelming with its solemn heaviness, dressed in the most precious robes and robes, the figure of the empress is perceived even more impressive and formidable next to the small figure of an Arab boy, whose movements, with their lightness, further set off her heaviness and representativeness.
The high talent of Rastrelli was manifested not only in portrait works, but also in monumental and decorative plastic. He participated, in particular, in the creation of decorative sculpture of Peterhof, worked on the equestrian monument of Peter I (1723-1729), which was installed in front of the Mikhailovsky Castle only in 1800.
In the equestrian monument of Peter I, Rastrelli in his own way implemented numerous designs of equestrian statues, from the antique "Marcus Aurelius" to the typical baroque Berlin monument to the great Elector Andreas Schlüter. The peculiarity of Rastrelli's decision is felt in the reservedly severe style of the monument, in the significance of the image of Peter himself, emphasized without excessive pomp, and also in the superbly found spatial orientation of the monument.
If the first half of the 18th c. marked by a relatively less extensive development of Russian sculpture, the second half of this century is the time of the rise of the art of sculpture. It is no coincidence that the second half of the 18th century. and the first third of the 19th century. called the "golden age" of Russian sculpture. A brilliant constellation of masters in the person of Shubin, Kozlovsky, Martos and others is being promoted to the ranks of the largest representatives of world sculpture. Particularly outstanding successes were achieved in the field of sculptural portraiture, monumental and monumental-decorative plastic arts. The latter was inextricably linked with the rise of Russian architecture, manor and city construction.
An invaluable role in the development of Russian plastic arts was played by the formation of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.
Second half of the 18th century in European art - a time of high development of the art of portraiture. In the field of sculpture, the greatest masters of the psychological portrait-bust were Houdon and F. I. Shubin.
Fedot Ivanovich Shubin (1740-1805) was born into a peasant family near Khol-Mogor, on the coast of the White Sea. His ability for sculpture first manifested itself in bone carving, a widely developed folk craft in the north. Like his great countryman - M. V. Lomonosov, Shubin went to St. Petersburg (1759), where his ability to sculpture attracted the attention of Lomonosov. In 1761, with the assistance of Lomonosov and Shuvalov, Shubin managed to get into the Academy of Arts. After graduation (1766), Shubin received the right to travel abroad, where he lived mainly in Paris and Rome. In France, Shubin meets J. Pigalle and uses his advice.
Returning to St. Petersburg in 1773, Shubin created a plaster bust of A. M. Golitsyn in the same year (a marble copy, located in the Tretyakov Gallery, was made in 1775; see illustration). The bust of A. M. Golitsyn immediately glorified the name of the young master. The portrait recreates a typical image of a representative of the highest aristocracy of Catherine's time. In a slight smile sliding on his lips, in an energetic turn of his head, in Golitsyn's intelligent, albeit rather cold expression, one can feel secular sophistication and, at the same time, the inner satiety of a person spoiled by fate.
By 1774, for the completed bust of Catherine II, Shubin was elected to the Academy. He is literally bombarded with orders. One of the most fruitful periods of the master's work begins.
By the 1770s one of the best female portraits of Shubin is a bust of M. R. Panina (marble; Tretyakov Gallery), which is quite close to the bust of A. M. Golitsyn: we also have an image of a man of aristocratic refinement and at the same time tired and jaded. However, Shubin interpreted Panin with somewhat more sympathy: the expression of somewhat feigned skepticism, noticeable in Golitsyn's face, is replaced in Panina's portrait by a touch of lyrical thoughtfulness and even sadness.
Shubin was able to reveal the image of a person not in one, but in several aspects, multifaceted, which made it possible to penetrate deeper into the essence of the model and understand the psychology of the person being portrayed. He knew how to sharply and accurately capture the expression of a person's face, convey facial expressions, gaze, turn and landing of the head. It is impossible not to pay attention to what various shades of facial expression the master reveals from different points of view, how skillfully he makes you feel good nature or cold cruelty, stiffness or simplicity, inner content or self-satisfied emptiness of a person.
Second half of the 18th century was a time of brilliant victories for the Russian army and navy. In several busts of Shubin, the most prominent commanders of his time are immortalized. Bust of Z. G. Chernyshev (marble, 1774; Tretyakov Gallery) is marked by great realism and unpretentious simplicity of the image. Not striving for the showiness of the bust solution, refusing to use draperies, Shubin focused all the viewer's attention on the hero's face - courageously open, with large, slightly rough features, however, not devoid of spirituality and inner nobility. The portrait of P. A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky was solved in a different way (marble, 1778; Russian Museum). True, even here Shubin does not resort to idealization of the hero's face. However, the general solution of the bust is given incomparably more impressive: the proudly raised head of the field marshal, his gaze directed upwards, the wide ribbon that catches the eye and the splendidly rendered drapery give the portrait features of solemn splendor.
It was not for nothing that Shubin was considered at the Academy the most experienced specialist in the processing of marble - his technique is amazingly free. “His busts are alive; the body in them is a perfect body...”, wrote one of the first Russian art critics V. I. Grigorovich in 1826. Knowing how to perfectly convey the lively awe and warmth of a human face, Shubin depicted accessories just as skillfully and convincingly: wigs, light or heavy fabrics of clothes, fine lace, soft fur, jewelry and orders of the portrayed. However, human faces, images and characters always remained the main thing for him.
Over the years, Shubin gives a deeper, and sometimes more severe, psychological description of the images, for example, in the marble bust of the famous diplomat A. A. Bezborodko (most researchers refer to this work in 1797; Russian Museum) and especially the St. Petersburg police chief E. M. Chulkov ( marble, 1792; Russian Museum), in the image of which Shubin recreated a rough, internally limited person. The most striking work of Shubin in this respect is the bust of Paul I (marble in the Russian Museum; ill., bronze tides in the Russian Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery), created in the late 1790s. In it, bold truthfulness borders on the grotesque. The bust of M. V. Lomonosov is perceived as imbued with great human warmth (reached us in plaster - the Russian Museum, marble - Moscow, the Academy of Sciences, as well as in a bronze tide, which is dated 1793 - the Cameron Gallery).
Being mainly a portrait painter, Shubin also worked in other areas of sculpture, creating allegorical statues, monumental and decorative reliefs intended for architectural structures (mainly for the interior), as well as for country parks. The best known are his statues and reliefs for the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg, as well as the bronze statue of Pandora, installed in the ensemble of the Grand Cascade of Fountains in Peterhof (1801).
In the second half of the 18th century Etienne Maurice Falconet (1716-1791), one of the prominent French masters, highly regarded by Diderot, who lived in St. Petersburg from 1766 to 17781, worked in Russia. The purpose of Falcone's visit to Russia was to create a monument to Peter I, on which he worked for twelve years. The result of many years of work was one of the most famous monuments in the world. If Rastrelli in the monument to Peter I mentioned above presented his hero as an emperor - formidable and powerful, then Falcone focuses on recreating the image of Peter as the greatest reformer of his time, a daring and courageous statesman.
This idea underlies the idea of Falcone, who wrote in one of his letters: “... I will limit myself to the statue of the hero and depict him not as a great commander and winner, although, of course, he was both. The personality of the creator, the legislator is much higher ... ”The sculptor’s deep awareness of the historical significance of Peter I largely predetermined both the idea and the successful solution of the monument.
Peter is presented at the moment of a rapid ascent to a rock - a natural block of stone, hewn like a rising huge sea wave. Stopping the horse at full gallop, he extends his right hand forward. Depending on the point of view of the monument, Peter's outstretched hand embodies either tough inflexibility, or a wise command, or, finally, calm peace. Remarkable integrity and plastic perfection are achieved by the sculptor in the figure of a rider and his mighty horse. Both of them are inextricably merged into a single whole, they correspond to a certain rhythm, the general dynamics of the composition. Under the feet of a galloping horse, a snake trampled by him wriggles, personifying the forces of evil and deceit.
The freshness and originality of the idea of the monument, the expressiveness and content of the image (his student M.-A. Kollo helped in creating the portrait image of Pyotr Falcone), the strong organic connection between the equestrian figure and the pedestal, consideration of visibility and an excellent understanding of the spatial setting of the monument on a vast square - all these dignity make the creation of Falcone a true masterpiece of monumental sculpture.
After the departure of Falcone from Russia, the completion of work (1782) on the construction of the monument to Peter I was led by Fedor Gordeevich Gordeev (1744-1810).
In 1780, Gordeev created a tombstone for N. M. Golitsyna (marble; Moscow, Museum of Architecture of the Academy of Construction and Architecture of the USSR). This small bas-relief turned out to be a landmark work in Russian memorial sculpture - from the relief of Gordeev, as well as from the first tombstones of Martos, the type of Russian classical memorial sculpture of the late 18th - early 19th centuries develops. (works by Kozlovsky, Demut-Malinovsky, Pimenov, Vitali). Gordeev's tombstones differ from the works of Martos in their less connection with the principles of classicism, the splendor and "magnificence" of the compositions, and the less clear and expressive layout of the figures. As a monumental sculptor, Gordeev mainly paid attention to sculptural relief, of which the reliefs of the Ostankino Palace in Moscow, as well as the reliefs of the porticoes of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, are most famous. In them, Gordeev adhered to a much more rigorous style than in tombstones.
Bright and full-blooded, the work of Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky (1753-1802) appears before us, who, like Shubin and Martos ( The work of IP Martos is considered in the fifth volume of this publication.), is a remarkable master of Russian sculpture.
In the work of Kozlovsky, two lines are quite clearly outlined: on the one hand, these are his works such as “The Shepherd with a Hare” (known as “Apollo”, 1789; Russian Museum and Tretyakov Gallery), “Sleeping Cupid” (marble, 1792; Russian Museum), Cupid with an Arrow (marble, 1797; Tretyakov Gallery). Elegance and sophistication of the plastic form are manifested in them. Another line is works of a heroic-dramatic plan (“Polycrates”, plaster, 1790, ill., and others).
At the very end of the 18th century, when great work began on the reconstruction of the ensemble of Peterhof fountains and the replacement of dilapidated lead statues with new ones, M. I. Kozlovsky was given the most responsible and honorable assignment: to sculpt the central sculptural composition of the Grand Cascade in Peterhof - the figure of Samson tearing his mouth lion.
Installed in the first half of the 18th century, the statue of Samson was directly dedicated to the victories of Peter I over the Swedish troops. Kozlovsky's newly performed "Samson", in principle repeating the old composition, is already solved in a more sublimely heroic and figuratively significant plan. The titanic constitution of Samson, the strong spatial turn of his figure, designed to be viewed from different points of view, the tension of the fight and at the same time the clarity of its outcome - all this was conveyed by Kozlovsky with a genuine mastery of the compositional solution. Temperamental, exceptionally energetic modeling, characteristic of the master, was the most suitable for this work.
"Samson" by Kozlovsky is one of the most remarkable works of park monumental and decorative sculpture. Rising to a twenty-meter height, a jet of water that spouted from the lion's mouth fell down, now being carried to the side, now breaking with thousands of splashes on the gilded surface of the bronze figure. "Samson" attracted the attention of the audience from afar, being an important landmark and the central point of the composition of the Grand Cascade ( This most valuable monument was taken away by the Nazis during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. After the war, "Samson" was recreated from the surviving photographs and documentary materials by the Leningrad sculptor V. Simonov.).
As a work immediately preceding the creation of the monument to A. V. Suvorov, one should consider “Hercules on a horse” (bronze, 1799; Russian Museum). In the image of Hercules - a naked young horseman, under whose feet rocks, a stream and a snake (a symbol of a defeated enemy) are depicted, Kozlovsky embodied the idea of \u200b\u200bA.V. Suvorov's immortal passage through the Alps.
The most outstanding creation of Kozlovsky was a monument to the great Russian commander A. V. Suvorov in St. Petersburg (1799-1801). Working on this monument, the sculptor set himself the task of creating not a portrait statue, but a generalizing image of the world-famous commander. Initially, Kozlovsky intended to present Suvorov in the form of Mars or Hercules. However, in the final decision, we still see not a god or an ancient hero. Full of movement and energy, the swift and light figure of a warrior in armor rushes forward with that indomitable speed and fearlessness that distinguished the heroic deeds and exploits of the Russian armies led by Suvorov. The sculptor managed to create an inspired monument to the unfading military glory of the Russian people.
Like almost all of Kozlovsky's works, Suvorov's statue is remarkable for its superbly found spatial construction. In an effort to more fully characterize the commander, Kozlovsky gave his figure both composure and dynamism; the measured strength of the hero's steps is combined with the courage and determination of the swing of the right hand holding the sword. The figure of the commander, however, is not devoid of sculpture characteristic of the 18th century. grace and ease of movement. The statue is excellently connected with a high granite pedestal in the form of a cylinder. The bronze bas-relief composition, depicting the geniuses of Glory and Peace with the appropriate attributes, was made by the sculptor F. G. Gordeev. Initially, the monument to A. V. Suvorov was erected in the depths of the Field of Mars, closer to the Mikhailovsky Castle. In 1818-1819. The monument to Suvorov was moved and took its place near the Marble Palace.
Kozlovsky also worked in the field of memorial sculpture (tombstones of P. I. Melissino, bronze, 1800 and S. A. Stroganova, marble, 1801-1802).
At the end of the 18th century a number of major sculptors quickly came to the fore, whose creative activity also continued throughout almost the entire first third of the 19th century. These masters include F. F. Shchedrin and I. P. Prokofiev.
Theodosius Fedorovich Shchedrin (1751-1825), brother of the painter Semyon Shchedrin and father of the famous landscape painter Sylvester Shchedrin, was admitted to the Academy in 1764 at the same time as Kozlovsky and Martos. With them, after graduation, he was sent to Italy and France (1773).
F. Shchedrin's early works include the small figurines Marsyas (1776) and Sleeping Endymion (1779), which he made in Paris (the bronze castings available in the Russian Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery were made at the beginning of the 20th century according to the surviving authentic models of F. . Shchedrin). Both in their content and in the nature of execution, these are completely different works. The figure of Marsyas, who is restless in mortal torments, is executed with great drama. The extreme tension of the body, protruding muscle tubercles, the dynamism of the entire composition convey the theme of human suffering and his passionate impulse to liberation. On the contrary, the figure of Endymion, immersed in sleep, breathes idyllic calm and serenity. The body of the young man is molded in a relatively generalized way, with a slight light and shade elaboration, the outlines of the figure are smooth and melodic. On the whole, the development of F. Shchedrin's work quite coincided with the development of all Russian sculpture in the second half of the 18th and early 19th centuries. This can be seen in such master's works as the statue "Venus" (1792; Russian Museum), the allegorical figure "Neva" for the Peterhof fountains (bronze, 1804) and, finally, the monumental groups of caryatids for the Admiralty in St. Petersburg (1812). If Shchedrin's first of these works, his marble statue of Venus, is a typical work of an 18th-century sculptor both in terms of exquisite grace of movement and refinement of the image, then in a later work created at the very beginning of the 19th century, in the statue of the Neva, we see undoubtedly great simplicity in solving and interpreting the image, clarity and rigor in modeling the figure and in its proportions.
Ivan Prokofievich Prokofiev (1758-1828) was an interesting, original master. After graduating from the Academy of Arts (1778), IP Prokofiev was sent to Paris, where he lived until 1784. For the works submitted to the Paris Academy of Arts, he received several awards, in particular a gold medal for the relief "The Resurrection of the Dead Man Thrown on the Bones of the Prophet Elisha" (1783). The year before, in 1782, Prokofiev had executed the statue of Morpheus (terracotta; Russian Museum). Prokofiev gives the figure of Morpheus on a small scale. In this early work of the sculptor, his realistic aspirations, a simple, not so refined style (compared, for example, with the early Kozlovsky), clearly stand out. It is felt that in "Morpheus" Prokofiev sought to recreate the real image of a sleeping person rather than a mythological image.
In the year of his return to St. Petersburg, IP Prokofiev, in a very short time, performs one of his best works in round sculpture - the composition "Akteon" (bronze, 1784; Russian Museum and Tretyakov Gallery). The figure of a rapidly running young man pursued by dogs is executed by the sculptor with magnificent dynamics and extraordinary ease of spatial solution.
Prokofiev was an excellent master of drawing and composition. And it is no coincidence that he paid so much attention to sculptural relief - in this area of \u200b\u200bcreativity, knowledge of composition and drawing acquire special significance. In 1785 - 1786. Prokofiev creates an extensive cycle of reliefs (gypsum) intended for the main staircase of the Academy of Arts. Prokofiev's reliefs for the building of the Academy of Arts are a whole system of thematic works in which the ideas of the educational value of "sciences and fine arts" are carried out. Such are the allegorical compositions “Painting and Sculpture”, “Drawing”, “Kifared and the Three Most Noble Arts”, “Mercy” and others. By the nature of the performance, these are typical works of early Russian classicism. The desire for calm clarity and harmony is combined in them with a soft, lyrical interpretation of images. The glorification of a person has not yet acquired that socio-civil pathos and rigor, as it was during the period of mature classicism of the first third of the 19th century.
Creating his reliefs, the sculptor subtly took into account the peculiarities of their location, different formats, and visibility conditions. As a rule, Prokofiev preferred low relief, but in those cases when it was necessary to create a monumental composition with a significant distance from the viewer, he boldly used the high relief method of depiction, sharply enhancing the contrasts of light and shade. Such is his colossal relief "The Bronze Serpent", placed over the passage of the colonnade of the Kazan Cathedral (Pudozh stone, 1806-1807).
Along with the leading masters of Russian sculpture of the late 18th - early 19th century. Prokofiev participated in the creation of works for the Peterhof Fountain Ensemble (statues of Alkid, Volkhov, a group of tritons). He also turned to portrait sculpture; in particular, he owns two meritorious terracotta busts of A. F. and A. E. Labzin (Russian Museum). Performed at the very beginning of the 1800s, both of them are still closer in their traditions to the works of Shubin than to portraits of Russian classicism of the first third of the 19th century.
Chapter “The Art of Russia. Sculpture". Section "Art of the 18th century". General history of arts. Volume IV. Art of the 17th-18th centuries. Author: I.M. Schmidt; under the general editorship of Yu.D. Kolpinsky and E.I. Rotenberg (Moscow, Art State Publishing House, 1963)
Compared with architecture, the development of Russian sculpture in the 18th century was more uneven. The achievements that marked the second half of the 18th century are immeasurably more significant and varied. The relatively weak development of Russian plastic arts in the first half of the century was primarily due to the fact that here, unlike architecture, there were no such significant traditions and schools. The development of ancient Russian sculpture, limited by the prohibitions of the Orthodox Christian Church, had an effect.
Achievements of Russian plastic arts in the early 18th century. almost entirely associated with decorative sculpture. First of all, the unusually rich sculptural decoration of the Dubrovitskaya Church (1690-1704), the Menshikov Tower in Moscow (1705-1707) and the reliefs on the walls of the Summer Palace of Peter I in St. Petersburg (1714) should be noted. Executed in 1722-1726. the famous iconostasis of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, designed by architect I. P. Zarudny by carvers I. Telegin and T. Ivanov, can be considered, in essence, as the result of the development of this type of art. The huge carved iconostasis of the Peter and Paul Cathedral impresses with its solemn splendor, virtuosity of woodworking, richness and variety of decorative motifs.
Throughout the 18th century folk wooden sculpture continued to develop successfully, especially in the north of Russia. Contrary to the prohibitions of the synod, works of cult sculpture continued to be created for the Russian churches of the north; Numerous wood and stone carvers, heading for the construction of large cities, brought with them the traditions and creative techniques of folk art.
The most important state and cultural transformations that took place under Peter I opened up opportunities for Russian sculpture to develop it outside the sphere of church orders. There is a great interest in round easel sculpture and in the portrait bust. One of the very first works of new Russian plastic art was the statue of Neptune, installed in the Peterhof park. Cast in bronze in 1715-1716, it is still close to the style of Russian wooden sculpture of the 17th-18th centuries.
Without waiting for the cadres of his Russian masters to gradually take shape, Peter gave instructions to buy antique statues and works of modern sculpture abroad. With his active assistance, in particular, a wonderful statue was acquired, known as the Tauric Venus (now in the Hermitage); various statues and sculptural compositions were ordered for the palaces and parks of St. Petersburg, the Summer Garden; foreign sculptors were invited.
The most prominent of them was Carlo Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1675-1744), who arrived in Russia in 1716 and remained here until the end of his life. He is especially known as the author of a remarkable bust of Peter I, executed and cast in bronze in 1723-1729. (Hermitage).
The image of Peter I created by Rastrelli is distinguished by realism in the transfer of portrait features and at the same time by extraordinary solemnity. Peter's face expresses the indomitable strength of will, the determination of a great statesman. Even during the life of Peter I, Rastrelli removed the mask from his face, which served him both to create a dressed wax statue, the so-called "Wax person", and for a bust. Rastrelli was a typical Western European master of the late Baroque. However, in the conditions of Peter's Russia, the realistic aspects of his work were most developed. Of the later works of Rastrelli, the statue of Empress Anna Ioannovna with a black child (1741, bronze; Leningrad, Russian Museum) is widely known. In this work, on the one hand, the unbiased truthfulness of the portrait painter is striking, on the other hand, the magnificent splendor of the decision and the monumentalization of the image. Overwhelming with its solemn heaviness, dressed in the most precious robes and robes, the figure of the empress is perceived even more impressive and formidable next to the small figure of a little black boy, whose movements with their lightness further set off her heaviness and representativeness.
The high talent of Rastrelli was manifested not only in portrait works, but also in monumental and decorative plastic. He participated, in particular, in the creation of decorative sculpture of Peterhof, worked on the equestrian monument of Peter I (1723-1729), which was installed in front of the Mikhailovsky Castle only in 1800.
In the equestrian monument of Peter I, Rastrelli in his own way implemented numerous designs of equestrian statues, from the antique "Marcus Aurelius" to the typical baroque Berlin monument to the great Elector Andreas Schlüter. The peculiarity of Rastrelli's decision is felt in the reservedly severe style of the monument, in the significance of the image of Peter himself, emphasized without excessive pomp, and also in the superbly found spatial orientation of the monument.
If the first half of the 18th c. marked by a relatively less extensive development of Russian sculpture, the second half of this century is the time of the rise of the art of sculpture. It is no coincidence that the second half of the 18th century. and the first third of the 19th century. called the "golden age" of Russian sculpture. A brilliant constellation of masters in the person of Shubin, Kozlovsky, Martos and others is being promoted to the ranks of the largest representatives of world sculpture. Particularly outstanding successes were achieved in the field of sculptural portraiture, monumental and monumental-decorative plastic arts. The latter was inextricably linked with the rise of Russian architecture, manor and city construction.
An invaluable role in the development of Russian plastic arts was played by the formation of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.
Second half of the 18th century in European art - a time of high development of the art of portraiture. In the field of sculpture, the greatest masters of the psychological portrait-bust were Houdon and F. I. Shubin.
Fedot Ivanovich Shubin (1740-1805) was born into a peasant family near Kholmogory, on the coast of the White Sea. His ability for sculpture first manifested itself in bone carving, a widely developed folk craft in the north. Like his great countryman - M. V. Lomonosov, Shubin went to St. Petersburg (1759), where his ability to sculpture attracted the attention of Lomonosov. In 1761, with the assistance of Lomonosov and Shuvalov, Shubin managed to get into the Academy of Arts. After graduation (1766), Shubin received the right to travel abroad, where he lived mainly in Paris and Rome. In France, Shubin meets J. Pigalle and uses his advice.
Returning to St. Petersburg in 1773, Shubin created a plaster bust of A. M. Golitsyn in the same year (a marble copy, located in the Tretyakov Gallery, was made in 1775; see illustration). The bust of A. M. Golitsyn immediately glorified the name of the young master. The portrait recreates a typical image of a representative of the highest aristocracy of Catherine's time. In a slight smile sliding on his lips, in an energetic turn of his head, in Golitsyn's intelligent, albeit rather cold expression, one can feel secular sophistication and, at the same time, the inner satiety of a person spoiled by fate.
By 1774, for the completed bust of Catherine II, Shubin was elected to the Academy. He is literally bombarded with orders. One of the most fruitful periods of the master's work begins.
By the 1770s refers to one of the best female portraits of Shubin - the bust of M. R. Panina (marble; Tretyakov Gallery), which is quite close to the bust of A. M. Golitsyn: we also have the image of a man of aristocratic refinement and at the same time tired and jaded. However, Shubin interpreted Panin with somewhat more sympathy: the expression of somewhat feigned skepticism, noticeable in Golitsyn's face, is replaced in Panina's portrait by a touch of lyrical thoughtfulness and even sadness.
Shubin was able to reveal the image of a person not in one, but in several aspects, multifaceted, which made it possible to penetrate deeper into the essence of the model and understand the psychology of the person being portrayed. He knew how to sharply and accurately capture the expression of a person's face, convey facial expressions, gaze, turn and landing of the head. It is impossible not to pay attention to what various shades of facial expression the master reveals from different points of view, how skillfully he makes you feel good nature or cold cruelty, stiffness or simplicity, inner content or self-satisfied emptiness of a person.
Second half of the 18th century was a time of brilliant victories for the Russian army and navy. In several busts of Shubin, the most prominent commanders of his time are immortalized. Bust 3. G. Chernyshev (marble, 1774; Tretyakov Gallery) is marked by great realism and unpretentious simplicity of the image. Not striving for the showiness of the bust solution, refusing to use draperies, Shubin focused all the viewer's attention on the hero's face - courageously open, with large, slightly rough features, however, not devoid of spirituality and inner nobility. The portrait of P. A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky was solved in a different way (marble, 1778; Russian Museum). True, even here Shubin does not resort to idealization of the hero's face. However, the general solution of the bust is given incomparably more impressive: the proudly raised head of the field marshal, his gaze directed upwards, the wide ribbon that catches the eye and the splendidly rendered drapery give the portrait features of solemn splendor.
It was not for nothing that Shubin was considered at the Academy the most experienced specialist in the processing of marble - his technique is amazingly free. “His busts are alive; the body in them is a perfect body...”, wrote one of the first Russian art critics V. I. Grigorovich in 1826. Knowing how to perfectly convey the lively awe and warmth of a human face, Shubin depicted accessories just as skillfully and convincingly: wigs, light or heavy fabrics of clothes, fine lace, soft fur, jewelry and orders of the portrayed. However, human faces, images and characters always remained the main thing for him.
Over the years, Shubin gives a deeper, and sometimes more severe, psychological description of the images, for example, in the marble bust of the famous diplomat A. A. Bezborodko (most researchers refer to this work in 1797; Russian Museum) and especially the St. Petersburg police chief E. M. Chulkov ( marble, 1792; Russian Museum), in the image of which Shubin recreated a rough, internally limited person. The most striking work of Shubin in this regard is the bust of Paul I (marble in the Russian Museum; ill., bronze tides in the Russian Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery), created in the late 1790s. In it, bold truthfulness borders on the grotesque. The bust of M. V. Lomonosov is perceived as imbued with great human warmth (survived in plaster - the Russian Museum, marble - Moscow, the Academy of Sciences, and also in a bronze tide, which is dated 1793 - the Cameron Gallery).
Being mainly a portrait painter, Shubin also worked in other areas of sculpture, creating allegorical statues, monumental and decorative reliefs intended for architectural structures (mainly for the interior), as well as for country parks. The best known are his statues and reliefs for the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg, as well as the bronze statue of Pandora, installed in the ensemble of the Grand Cascade of Fountains in Peterhof (1801).
In the second half of the 18th century Etienne Maurice Falconet (1716-1791), who lived in St. Petersburg from 1766 to 1778, worked in Russia, highly regarded by Diderot. The purpose of Falcone's visit to Russia was to create a monument to Peter I, on which he worked for twelve years. The result of many years of work was one of the most famous monuments in the world. If Rastrelli in the monument to Peter I mentioned above presented his hero as an emperor - formidable and powerful, then Falcone focuses on recreating the image of Peter as the greatest reformer of his time, a daring and courageous statesman.
This idea underlies the idea of Falcone, who wrote in one of his letters: “... I will limit myself to the statue of the hero and depict him not as a great commander and winner, although, of course, he was both. The personality of the creator, the legislator is much higher ... ”The sculptor’s deep awareness of the historical significance of Peter I largely predetermined both the idea and the successful solution of the monument.
Peter is presented at the moment of a rapid ascent to a rock - a natural block of stone, hewn like a rising huge sea wave. Stopping the horse at full gallop, he extends his right hand forward. Depending on the point of view of the monument, Peter's outstretched hand embodies either tough inflexibility, or a wise command, or, finally, calm peace. Remarkable integrity and plastic perfection are achieved by the sculptor in the figure of a rider and his mighty horse. Both of them are inextricably merged into a single whole, they correspond to a certain rhythm, the general dynamics of the composition. Under the feet of a galloping horse, a snake trampled by him wriggles, personifying the forces of evil and deceit.
The freshness and originality of the idea of the monument, the expressiveness and content of the image (his student M.-A. Kollo helped in creating the portrait image of Pyotr Falcone), the strong organic connection between the equestrian figure and the pedestal, consideration of visibility and an excellent understanding of the spatial setting of the monument on a vast square - all these dignity make the creation of Falcone a true masterpiece of monumental sculpture.
After the departure of Falcone from Russia, the completion of work (1782) on the construction of the monument to Peter I was led by Fedor Gordeevich Gordeev (1744-1810).
In 1780, Gordeev created a tombstone for N. M. Golitsyna (marble; Moscow, Museum of Architecture of the Academy of Construction and Architecture of the USSR). This small bas-relief turned out to be a landmark work in Russian memorial sculpture - from the relief of Gordeev, as well as from the first tombstones of Martos, the type of Russian classical memorial sculpture of the late 18th - early 19th centuries develops. (works by Kozlovsky, Demut-Malinovsky, Pimenov, Vitali). Gordeev's tombstones differ from the works of Martos in their less connection with the principles of classicism, the splendor and "magnificence" of the compositions, and the less clear and expressive layout of the figures. As a monumental sculptor, Gordeev mainly paid attention to sculptural relief, of which the reliefs of the Ostankino Palace in Moscow, as well as the reliefs of the porticoes of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, are most famous. In them, Gordeev adhered to a much more rigorous style than in tombstones.
Bright and full-blooded is the work of Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky (1753-1802), who, like Shubin and Martos (the work of I.P. Martos is considered in the fifth volume of this publication.), Is a remarkable master of Russian sculpture.
In the work of Kozlovsky, two lines are quite clearly outlined: on the one hand, these are his works such as “The Shepherd with a Hare” (known as “Apollo”, 1789; Russian Museum and Tretyakov Gallery), “Sleeping Cupid” (marble, 1792; Russian Museum), Cupid with an Arrow (marble, 1797; Tretyakov Gallery). Elegance and sophistication of the plastic form are manifested in them. Another line is works of a heroic-dramatic plan (“Polycrates”, plaster, 1790, ill., and others).
At the very end of the 18th century, when great work began on the reconstruction of the ensemble of Peterhof fountains and the replacement of dilapidated lead statues with new ones, M. I. Kozlovsky was given the most responsible and honorable assignment: to sculpt the central sculptural composition of the Grand Cascade in Peterhof - the figure of Samson tearing his mouth lion.
Installed in the first half of the 18th century, the statue of Samson was directly dedicated to the victories of Peter I over the Swedish troops. Kozlovsky's newly performed "Samson", in principle repeating the old composition, is already solved in a more sublimely heroic and figuratively significant plan. The titanic constitution of Samson, the strong spatial turn of his figure, designed to be viewed from different points of view, the tension of the fight and at the same time the clarity of its outcome - all this was conveyed by Kozlovsky with a genuine mastery of the compositional solution. Temperamental, exceptionally energetic modeling, characteristic of the master, was the most suitable for this work.
"Samson" by Kozlovsky is one of the most remarkable works of park monumental and decorative sculpture. Rising to a twenty-meter height, a jet of water that spouted from the lion's mouth fell down, now being carried to the side, now breaking with thousands of splashes on the gilded surface of the bronze figure. "Samson" from afar riveted the attention of the audience, being an important landmark and the central point of the composition of the Grand Cascade materials by the Leningrad sculptor V. Simonov.).
As a work immediately preceding the creation of the monument to A. V. Suvorov, one should consider “Hercules on a horse” (bronze, 1799; Russian Museum). In the image of Hercules - a naked young horseman, under whose feet rocks, a stream and a snake (a symbol of a defeated enemy) are depicted, Kozlovsky embodied the idea of \u200b\u200bA.V. Suvorov's immortal passage through the Alps.
The most outstanding creation of Kozlovsky was a monument to the great Russian commander A. V. Suvorov in St. Petersburg (1799-1801). Working on this monument, the sculptor set himself the task of creating not a portrait statue, but a generalizing image of the world-famous commander. Initially, Kozlovsky intended to present Suvorov in the form of Mars or Hercules. However, in the final decision, we still see not a god or an ancient hero. Full of movement and energy, the swift and light figure of a warrior in armor rushes forward with that indomitable speed and fearlessness that distinguished the heroic deeds and exploits of the Russian armies led by Suvorov. The sculptor managed to create an inspired monument to the unfading military glory of the Russian people.
Like almost all of Kozlovsky's works, Suvorov's statue is remarkable for its superbly found spatial construction. In an effort to more fully characterize the commander, Kozlovsky gave his figure both composure and dynamism; the measured strength of the hero's steps is combined with the courage and determination of the swing of the right hand holding the sword. The figure of the commander, however, is not devoid of sculpture characteristic of the 18th century. grace and ease of movement. The statue is excellently connected with a high granite pedestal in the form of a cylinder. The bronze bas-relief composition, depicting the geniuses of Glory and Peace with the appropriate attributes, was made by the sculptor F. G. Gordeev. Initially, the monument to A. V. Suvorov was erected in the depths of the Field of Mars, closer to the Mikhailovsky Castle. In 1818-1819. The monument to Suvorov was moved and took its place near the Marble Palace.
Kozlovsky also worked in the field of memorial sculpture (tombstones of P. I. Melissino, bronze, 1800 and S. A. Stroganova, marble, 1801-1802).
At the end of the 18th century a number of major sculptors quickly came to the fore, whose creative activity also continued throughout almost the entire first third of the 19th century. These masters include F. F. Shchedrin and I. P. Prokofiev.
Theodosius Fedorovich Shchedrin (1751-1825), brother of the painter Semyon Shchedrin and father of the famous landscape painter Sylvester Shchedrin, was admitted to the Academy in 1764 at the same time as Kozlovsky and Martos. With them, after graduation, he was sent to Italy and France (1773).
F. Shchedrin's early works include the small figurines Marsyas (1776) and Sleeping Endymion (1779), which he made in Paris (the bronze castings available in the Russian Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery were made at the beginning of the 20th century according to the surviving authentic models of F. . Shchedrin). Both in their content and in the nature of execution, these are completely different works. The figure of Marsyas, who is restless in mortal torments, is executed with great drama. The extreme tension of the body, protruding muscle tubercles, the dynamism of the entire composition convey the theme of human suffering and his passionate impulse to liberation. On the contrary, the figure of Endymion, immersed in a dream, breathes idyllic calm and serenity. The body of the young man is molded in a relatively generalized way, with a slight light and shade elaboration, the outlines of the figure are smooth and melodic. On the whole, the development of F. Shchedrin's work quite coincided with the development of all Russian sculpture in the second half of the 18th and early 19th centuries. This can be seen in such master's works as the statue "Venus" (1792; Russian Museum), the allegorical figure "Neva" for the Peterhof fountains (bronze, 1804) and, finally, the monumental groups of caryatids for the Admiralty in St. Petersburg (1812). If Shchedrin's first of these works, his marble statue of Venus, is a typical work of an 18th-century sculptor both in terms of exquisite grace of movement and refinement of the image, then in a later work created at the very beginning of the 19th century, in the statue of the Neva, we see undoubtedly great simplicity in solving and interpreting the image, clarity and rigor in modeling the figure and in its proportions.
Ivan Prokofievich Prokofiev (1758-1828) was an interesting, original master. After graduating from the Academy of Arts (1778), IP Prokofiev was sent to Paris, where he lived until 1784. For the works submitted to the Paris Academy of Arts, he received several awards, in particular a gold medal for the relief "The Resurrection of the Dead Man Thrown on the Bones of the Prophet Elisha" (1783). The year before, in 1782, Prokofiev had executed the statue of Morpheus (terracotta; Russian Museum). Prokofiev gives the figure of Morpheus on a small scale. In this early work of the sculptor, his realistic aspirations, a simple, not so refined style (compared, for example, with the early Kozlovsky), clearly stand out. It is felt that in "Morpheus" Prokofiev sought to recreate the real image of a sleeping person rather than a mythological image.
In the year of his return to St. Petersburg, IP Prokofiev, in a very short time, performs one of his best works in round sculpture - the composition "Akteon" (bronze, 1784; Russian Museum and Tretyakov Gallery). The figure of a rapidly running young man pursued by dogs is executed by the sculptor with magnificent dynamics and extraordinary ease of spatial solution.
Prokofiev was an excellent master of drawing and composition. And it is no coincidence that he paid so much attention to sculptural relief - in this area of \u200b\u200bcreativity, knowledge of composition and drawing acquire special significance. In 1785 - 1786. Prokofiev creates an extensive cycle of reliefs (gypsum) intended for the main staircase of the Academy of Arts. Prokofiev's reliefs for the building of the Academy of Arts are a whole system of thematic works in which the ideas of the educational value of "sciences and fine arts" are carried out. Such are the allegorical compositions “Painting and Sculpture”, “Drawing”, “Kifared and the Three Most Noble Arts”, “Mercy” and others. By the nature of the performance, these are typical works of early Russian classicism. The desire for calm clarity and harmony is combined in them with a soft, lyrical interpretation of images. The glorification of a person has not yet acquired that socio-civil pathos and rigor, as it was during the period of mature classicism of the first third of the 19th century.
Creating his reliefs, the sculptor subtly took into account the peculiarities of their location, different formats, and visibility conditions. As a rule, Prokofiev preferred low relief, but in those cases when it was necessary to create a monumental composition with a significant distance from the viewer, he boldly used the high relief method of depiction, sharply enhancing the contrasts of light and shade. Such is his colossal relief "The Bronze Serpent", placed over the passage of the colonnade of the Kazan Cathedral (Pudozh stone, 1806-1807).
Along with the leading masters of Russian sculpture of the late 18th - early 19th century. Prokofiev participated in the creation of works for the Peterhof Fountain Ensemble (statues of Alkid, Volkhov, a group of tritons). He also turned to portrait sculpture; in particular, he owns two meritorious terracotta busts of A. F. and A. E. Labzin (Russian Museum). Performed at the very beginning of the 1800s, both of them are still closer in their traditions to the works of Shubin than to portraits of Russian classicism of the first third of the 19th century.
18th century sculpture short message and got the best answer
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Sculpture of the 18th century
In the second half of the 18th century, a steady flourishing
domestic plastics. Round sculpture developed slowly before that,
laboriously overcoming the eight-hundred-year-old ancient Russian traditions in relation to
pagan "boob". She did not give a single great Russian master in
first half of the 18th century , but the more brilliant was her rise to the next
period. Russian classicism as the leading artistic direction of this time
was the greatest stimulus for the development of the art of great civic ideas,
which led to an interest in sculpture in this period. F. I. Shubin, F. G. Gordeev,
M. I. Kozlovsky, F. F. Shchedrin, I. P. Prokofiev, I. P. Martos - each for himself
himself was the brightest individuality, left his own, characteristic only of him
footprint in art. But they were all united by common creative principles that
they learned back at the Academy in the sculpture class of Professor Nicolas Gillet.
Russian artists were also united by common ideas of citizenship and
patriotism, high ideals of antiquity.
Interest in “heroic antiquity” also influences the choice of gods and heroes:
Neptunes and Bacchus, beloved in Peter's time, are replaced by Prometheus,
Polycrates, Marsyas, Hercules, Alexander the Great, heroes of Homer
epic. Russian sculptors seek to embody features in the male image
heroic personality, and in the feminine - ideally beautiful, harmoniously
a clear, perfect beginning. This can be traced both in the monumental,
architectural and decorative, and in easel plastic.
In contrast to the Baroque, architectural and decorative plastic in the era
classicism has a strict system of location on the facade of the building: basically
in the central part, the main portico and in the side projections, or crowns
building, readable against the sky.
Russian sculpture of the second half of the 18th century
Next to the figure of Shubin of exceptional importance stands a galaxy of his outstanding contemporaries, who, like him, contributed to the brilliant flowering of Russian sculpture in the second half of the 18th century.
Together with domestic masters, the sculptor Etienne-Maurice Falconet (1716-1791, in Russia from 1766 to 1778), the author of one of the best monuments of the 18th century - the monument to Peter I on Senate Square in St. Petersburg (ill. 161) contributed a lot to the glory of Russian sculpture. The grandiosity of the tasks, the height of ideological and aesthetic criteria, the intensity of the creative atmosphere in Russian art of those years allowed the sculptor to create the most perfect of his works, inextricably linked with the country where it was born.
The initial sketch was ready already in 1765. Arriving in St. Petersburg, Falcone set to work and by 1770 had completed a life-size model. A stone rock was delivered to the site of the monument, weighing about 275 tons after its partial cutting. In 1775-1777, a bronze statue was cast, while the opening of the monument took place in 1782. Falcone's assistant in the work on the monument was his student Marie-Anne Collot (1748-1821), who sculpted the head of Peter. After Falcone's departure, the installation of the monument was supervised by the sculptor F. G. Gordeev.
Falcone was a foreigner, but he managed to understand the personality of Peter and his role in the historical development of Russia in such a way that the monument he created should be considered precisely within the framework of Russian culture, which predetermined the soulful interpretation of the image of Peter given by the sculptor.
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