School encyclopedia. About Pyotr Karlovich Klodt The most heartfelt work
Last year marked the 196th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding mid-19th century sculptor Pyotr Karlovich Klodt. He went down in history as the creator of the world famous equestrian groups of the Anichkov Bridge, the monument to the fabulist I.A. Krylov in the Summer Garden, the equestrian statue for the monument to Nicholas I in St. Petersburg and many other remarkable works. The most important theme of P.K. Klodt's work was the image of horses.
The centuries-old history of the Klodt family has come down to us thanks to documents collected and written by the sculptor's son, M.P. Klodt. Chief among them is the "Genealogy of the Klodt von Jurgensburg family", compiled in German in March 1852.
Pyotr Karlovich Klodt's father, Major General Baron Karl Gustav, who took the Russian patronymic Fedorovich, spent “almost all his service in campaigns and battles with the enemy: in Poland, beyond the Kuban, in Moldova and Wallachia, during the capture of Tulcha, Isakchi, Izmail. .. participated in the battles at Smolensk, at Borodino, at Maliy Yaroslavets, during the capture of the Spandau fortress ... and at Leipzig. " He was married to Elizabeth-Charlotte-Aurora von Freyhold. They had two daughters and six sons, of whom Peter Karlovich was the second. He was born on May 24, 1805 in St. Petersburg and was recorded with the double name Pyotr Yakov. After 1814, when Baron Karl Gustav was appointed chief of staff of a separate Siberian corps, the family moved to Omsk, where his father died in 1822.
In the same year, the Klodt family returned to St. Petersburg. On April 14, 1823, Peter Klodt "entered" the St. Petersburg Artillery School as a cadet. Behind the meager facts recorded in archival documents, there is a whole segment of Klodt's life, about which we know unusually little. In 1825 he was promoted to a cadet harness. At the end of the course at the Artillery School, being 19 years old, he was promoted to ensign. "From His Highest Imperial Majesty, he was dismissed from military service by the permission of the second lieutenant on December 20, 1827," according to archival documents.
It was during these years that the most important issue of choosing a profession was decided. After receiving his resignation, Klodt was accepted as a pensioner of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists. By the highest order of the Sovereign Emperor in 1829, the professors of the Academy were shown the first three drawings made by Peter Klodt. From that time on, he became a volunteer at the Academy of Arts and devoted himself entirely to sculpture.
While still in military service, Klodt made graphic silhouettes of animals from black paper, carved and painted small figurines of horses from wood, completed all the details with impeccable accuracy, imitating eyes with glass inserts, making a tail and mane out of hair.
The statuette "Cavalier" made by him in the 1830s was very popular. Klodt created it by order of Nicholas I to decorate the desk of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.
The most important events in the biography of the sculptor took place in 1833. His first monumental work was successfully completed - six horses for the Narva Triumphal Gate in St. Petersburg. On May 25, 1831, the commission for the construction of the Narva Gate accepted the first model of a horse, sculpted by Klodt from clay, which was delivered to the St. Petersburg Alexandrovsky Foundry. Master I. Prat, under the guidance of M.E. Clarke, knocked out the figures of four horses from copper sheets, accurately reproducing Klodt's models. However, when four horses and a chariot were installed on the attic of the Narva Gate, it became clear that the group "did not correspond to the splendor of the structure." In March 1833, it was decided to create two more horses; Klodt coped with the new task successfully and quickly. On September 26 of the same year, the architect V.P. Stasov reported on the "perfect completion" of the Narva Gate, the grand opening of which took place on August 18, 1834. As noted in 1848 in “Illustrations”, “... it is almost incomprehensible how it was possible for an unfamiliar, inexperienced, who was engaged in delicate, miniature-perfect works, not to get lost in the colossal size of the monumental horses, not to be crumpled by this six? The Baron emerged victorious. "
In November of the same year, P.K.Klodt was married to Juliania Ivanovna Spiridonova, niece of A.A. Martos, the wife of the sculptor Martos.
Having learned about the restructuring of the Anichkov Bridge over the Fontanka River, Klodt proposed to design it with his horse groups, which would look spectacular from Nevsky Prospect, Nicholas I approved this idea for implementation. After the installation of the first two equestrian groups on the Anichkov Bridge, their repeated ebb tides were sent to Berlin as a gift to Friedrich Wilhelm. “Upon the delivery to Berlin of two equestrian groups donated by the Emperor to His Majesty the King of Prussia, two equestrian groups were granted from His Royal Majesty the Knight of the Order of the Red Eagle, 3rd degree” on August 14, 1842 in Sanssouci. While in Germany, P.K.Klodt wrote to A.P. Bryullov: “The caress and respect of the local best artists, of course, are very pleasant to me, but they cannot replace the caress of my wife and children. Nothing beats a quiet family life. With what pleasure I look at children here and look for similarities with mine in everyone! "
On April 1, 1843, Klodt "for the excellent performance of the equestrian groups, made by him again for the Anichkov Bridge, was most mercifully awarded the Knight of the Order of St. Anna, 3rd degree." And in July 1846, for the same groups sent to Naples, he was granted by His Majesty the King of Naples a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Ferdinand. The inspired and painstaking work of the sculptor lasted almost twenty years. Equestrian groups are ingeniously simply connected by one plot idea - four moments of taming an unbroken horse are taken.
One of the sculptural symbols of St. Petersburg is deservedly recognized the monument to Nicholas I, which became an adornment of St. Isaac's Square. The brightest page in the history of the creation of the monument is Klodt's work on the equestrian statue. In January 1857, the solemn laying of the monument was carried out, as the press of those years noted, in the presence of the "Sovereign Emperor and the August House."
In December 1856, Alexander II examined a model of an equestrian statue and wished to "change the horse's gait from left to right, reduce the visor at the helmet, put on the helmet a little back, make the boots softer, the epaulettes and the right sleeve above the elbow a little fuller." On December 12, the Council of the Academy of Arts, agreeing with the remarks of Alexander II, approved the equestrian model.
In April 1858, Klodt cast an equestrian statue of Nicholas I. “This casting, made by Baron Klodt on wax, was unsuccessful: the mold could not withstand the pressure of the metal melted in an amount of up to 1300 pounds, a crack formed in it, into which a significant part of the bronze flowed out, and some parts of the figure were left unfilled. According to the report to the Sovereign Emperor, His Imperial Majesty was pleased to allow the secondary casting to be entrusted again to Baron Klodt and to reward him for the costs incurred by him. " On February 21, 1859, the equestrian statue was cast by P.K. Klodt a second time and successfully.
Usually, everyone who turned to the description of the statue of Nicholas I noted the technical skill of performing the most difficult task - setting the horse on two points of support. For their strength, Klodt ordered iron supports (weighing 60 poods, worth 2000 silver rubles) from the best plant in Olonetska.
After the equestrian statue was cast, it was necessary to proceed with its delivery to the installation site. In the Russian Artistic Leaflet for 1859 we find the following information: “This statue was cast in the foundry of the Imperial Academy of Arts and, due to its size, could not be taken out of the workshop in the usual way through the gate; but for the birth of a new work of our famous sculptor, they had to break through the wall. The very placing of the statue on the pedestal presented many interesting things; this terrible mass was lifted by ropes to a height of up to 4 sazhens and placed first on a platform located on the side above the forests that surrounded the pedestal; then these scaffoldings were rolled up on wheels to the place where the statue should have stood, and, finally, they already lowered it onto a marble pedestal. "
On June 25, 1859, the grand opening of the monument took place. This historical moment was depicted in watercolors by the artist V.S. Sadovnikov.
Klodt attached great importance to working on small sketches depicting horses, on the creation of which he worked all his free time. Performed as preparatory sketches, they have the value of independent works and amaze with virtuoso wax modeling. Many equestrian compositions were translated into bronze by the sculptor himself and became exquisite chamber works. The rarest effect of transferring a horse in motion, leaning on one leg, was achieved by Klodt in the statuette "Major General FI Lefler".
Klodt cast such famous monumental works from bronze as the monument to Peter the Great in Kronstadt (1841; after the model of N. Jacques), the monument to N.M. Karamzin in Simbirsk (1845; after the model, made according to the sketch of S.I. Galberg A.A. Ivanov, K.M. Klimchenko, N.A. Ramazanov, P.A. Stavasser), a monument to G.R. Derzhavin in Kazan (1847; after a model made according to the sketch of S.I.Galberg by N.A. Ramazanov) , St. Prince Vladimir in Kiev (1853; according to the model of V.I. Demut-Malinovsky), the chieftain M.I. Platov in Novocherkassk (1853; according to the model of N.A. Tokarev) and others.
The State Russian Museum has a unique collection of works by Klodt. It is composed of sculptures, drawings and architectural documents that belonged to his family. Of particular value are 16 wax works he sculpted himself. In 1897, they were among the first admissions from the Academy of Arts to the Museum of Emperor Alexander III. The collection of bronze castings made by Klodt both according to his own wax originals and according to models of other masters is extensive and varied.
? FEDERAL EDUCATION AGENCY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
SAINT PETERSBURG STATE MINING INSTITUTE NAMED AFTER G.V. PLEKHANOVA
(TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY)
By discipline: History of the Fatherland
Topic: "Sculptor Petr Karlovich Klodt"Completed student: gr. GK-08-1 ______________ / G.S. Nikolaeva /
(signature)
Date: ___________
Checked by the teacher: ____________ / Afanasyev V.G. /
(signature) (full name)St. Petersburg
2008
Content:
1. Introduction
7.Monument to Nicholas 1
9.Conclusion
Bibliography
1. Introduction
“Deeply and comprehensively comprehending nature, he was able
find the exact balance between ideal and reality,
what can be seen in his creations, endowed with harmonious beauty "
Many people know the famous Russian sculptor of the 19th century Pyotr Karlovich Klodt for his magnificent monumental works, known all over the world.
This work will tell not only about his famous masterpieces. Klodt's talent is unique in its kind, he was a sculptor and a caster at the same time. He cast not only his own works, but the works of other sculptors, primarily the monuments that can now be seen in many cities of Russia. Also, Klodt did not limit himself to creating exclusively monumental works, he created magnificent memorial, easel, portrait and decorative works, and also worked in the technique of etching and lithography. Klodt was the founder of the animalistic genre in Russian sculpture; only a few worked in this genre before him. He perfectly combined his somewhat dangerous and laborious work with teaching at the Imperial Academy of Arts.
Klodt's talent was appreciated not only in Russia, but also abroad. Many of his works were gifts to the rulers of other countries. His talent was noted by several Russian orders, and he was also awarded orders abroad.
In my essay, I will consider the main milestones in the life and work of the great sculptor, who left a colossal legacy to his descendants.
2. Pedigree of the Klodt von Jurgensburg family
The family tree of the Klodt von Jürgensburg family was compiled in March 1852 in German. However, the name of the compiler is not indicated in the texts. It is from the "Pedigree" that it is known that the founder of the dynasty is Baron Johann Adolph Klodt von Jurgensburg, a Swedish lieutenant general, born on August 5, 1650, who was captured and died in Moscow in 1720. Gustav Adolph Klodt - Captain of the Guard of Queen Christina Augusta of Sweden was the governor of Riga. Later he became the Swedish Land Marshal of the Livonian nobility, in 1666 he was the Swedish envoy to Russia. He and his son Johann Adolf were married to Swedes. This information provided a convincing basis for identifying the Scandinavian branch of the Klodts.
The "Pedigree" states that "the noble family of the Klodts is very ancient. It comes from Italy, from where it has already spread across Westphalia, along the Rhine and along the Moselle. In 1543 one of the Klodts moved from Westphalia to Livonia. In the same year, his son received fiefdoms and added the nickname von Jürgensburg to his surname. " According to other sources, in 1561, the master of the Order of von Galen granted this estate to Just Klodt. In 1780, the Jurgensburg estate, which had always belonged to the eldest in the family, passed into foreign ownership. During these years, one of the branches of the Klodts moved to Russia. Their baronial dignity with the family coat of arms was recognized in Russia on October 17, 1853.
From the description of the baronial coat of arms of Klodt von Jurgensburg, it is clear that the original old coat of arms is located in the middle of a large shield. The old coat of arms is divided by a transverse golden stripe, below, on a blue field, there are three golden balls, and on top of a silver field there is a black millstone. The large shield is composed of four parts. In the upper left part, on a red field, there are three silver lilies with gold stars. Nearby is a red rook on a gold field, the field itself is bordered by red and silver stripes. In the lower left fragment, on a silver field, there is an image of four crossed banners. The shield is crowned with a Swedish baronial crown and knight helmets on both sides.
3. Father of Peter Karlovich Klodt
The study of the biography of Karl Fedorovich Klodt, the sculptor's father, is based on historical facts found in his personal documents from the Department of Manuscripts of the State Russian Museum. Karl Fedorovich was born on July 25, 1765 in the Vaalkül family estate near Revel in the family of a retired lieutenant of the Russian cavalry Adolf Friedrich Klodt - the grandson of Johann Adolf Klodt. In his formal list it is written that he comes from the Livonian nobles. There is evidence that he began his studies at Dohm-Schule in Reval, and then studied at home under the guidance of famous teachers, one of whom is Fyodor Ivanovich Schubert, who later became an astronomer, academician and member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.
Klodt entered military service as a fourteen-year-old boy on February 4, 1780 with the rank of sergeant in the artillery, and from that time his activities for the good of the Fatherland began. On May 10, 1786, he became a bayonet-junker in the artillery. On December 7, 1787, he was transferred to the General Staff as a lieutenant, and on June 18, 1792, he became a captain. On February 16, 1797, under Emperor Paul 1, Klodt was transferred to the "Retinue of His Majesty in the Quartermaster's Department", and on November 17 of the same year he was promoted to major. On April 8, 1800, Klodt was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
Already under the new emperor Alexander 1, he was granted the rank of colonel in 1806, as evidenced by the imperial charter signed with his own hand.
Information about the early years of Klodt's service was gleaned from the form list. From 1783 to April 20, 1784 he was in Poland in the observational building. In 1789 he was beyond the Kuban to Taman. From October 3 to November 3, 1790, again beyond the Kuban. Further in the form list you can read: "1802 since March 24, when photographing and composing a map of a part of St. Petersburg province ... .. Was in battles near the fortress of Izmail against the Turkish troops, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree with a bow."
Scanty records in the documents give an idea that in August 1809 Klodt was under the command of Lieutenant General Zass across the Danube during the capture of the fortress of Sakchi and Tulcea. When crossing the Danube River at the Turtukai fortress and occupying it, Klodt was awarded the highest favor. Since June 15, he has been participating in the siege of the Ruschuk fortress and during its assault, then during the siege of the Zhurzhi fortress. In August, he is in Serbia, during the occupation of the village of Rakovitsa on the right bank of the Danube and during the imposition of the coastal fortification, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Anna, 2nd degree with diamonds.
Heroically distinguished in many battles with French troops, Klodt was appointed chief of staff of the Hotel Siberian Corps. Together with his family, his wife Elisaveta Yakovlevna - the daughter of the State Councilor von Freingoldt - and his sons Vladimir, Peter, Konstantin, Alexander and Boris, Klodt moved from St. Petersburg to Omsk. There the family grew - a son Mikhail and a daughter Natalya were born. July 23, 1822 K.F. Klodt died.
A picturesque portrait of K.F. Klodt, painted in the studio of George Doe in 1821, is in the War Gallery of 1812 in the Winter Palace.
4.Petr Karlovich Klodt. Early period.
Pyotr Karlovich Klodt entered the history of Russian plastics primarily as the greatest master-monumentalist, the creator of such world-famous works as the equestrian groups of the Anichkov Bridge, the monument to I.A. Krylov and the equestrian statue for the monument to Nicholas 1. Klodt is objectively recognized as the founder of the animalistic genre in Russian sculpture, the most important theme of his work was the image of horses. The sculptor was a worthy successor and successor of the best classical traditions. Peter Karlovich Klodt was the second son. He was born on May 24, 1805 in St. Petersburg and was recorded with the double name Pyotr Yakov. After 1814, when Baron Karl Gustav was appointed chief of staff of the Siberian corps, the family moved to Omsk, where his father died in 1822.
In 1822 the Klodt family returned to St. Petersburg. It was possible to find the exact date of Peter Klodt's entry into the Artillery School as a cadet on April 14, 1823. On February 16, 1825 he was promoted to ensign.
It was during these years that the most important issue of choosing a profession was solved. After receiving his resignation, Klodt was accepted into the number of retirees of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists. At the "Highest command of the Sovereign Emperor" in 1829, the professors of the Academy of Arts were shown three drawings made with the pen of Klodt. From that time on, he became a volunteer at the Academy of Arts and completely devotes himself to plastic art.
While still in military service, Klodt makes graphic silhouettes of animals from black paper and carves small figures of horses from wood. His early works include the "Artilleryman" and "Cavalier" statuettes. "The Artilleryman" is an equestrian statuette cast from plaster, a figure of a rider and a horse are painted with paints, the tail and mane are made of hair, the horse's eyes are inserts and glass.
The model for the "Cavalier" statuette dates back to the 1830s, and was replicated at the end of the 19th century in the cast-iron tides of the Kasli plant. This work was carried out by Klodt by order of Nicholas 1 to decorate the desk of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, and here is depicted the cavalry guard Jan Strievsky. Already the early works of Klodt were known abroad, for example, the German painter Kruger believed that "the plaster horses of Baron Klodt serve as an adornment of his workshop."
The most important events in Klodt's biography took place in 1833. His first monumental work was successfully completed - six horses for the Narva Triumphal Gate in St. Petersburg. Responsibility and complexity of the order were combined with a sense of pride for participating in the design of the monument of Glory to the heroes, one of whom was Klodt's father. The study of the sculptural design of the Narva Triumphal Gate has been repeatedly addressed. However, the question of the history of the creation of the six horses remains not entirely clear, primarily due to the fragmentary nature of the archival documents that have come down to us. From the materials of the construction commission, it follows that the models of horses should have been performed by S.S. Pimenov and V.I. Demut - Malinovsky. Since January 1831, the name of Klodt appears, the order for the execution of horse models is transferred to him. On May 25, 1831, the commission, which accepted the first model of a horse, sculpted from clay, noted that "this model in all its parts has been finished with the desired success." By October of the same year, the first model of the horse was delivered by Klodt to the St. Petersburg Alexandrovsky Foundry. On March 19, 1833, it was decided to create two more horses; Klodt coped with the new task successfully and quickly. The young artist undoubtedly made a significant contribution to the appearance of this architectural monument. As noted in “Illustrations”: “it is almost incomprehensible how it was possible for an unfamiliar, inexperienced, engaged in delicate, miniature-perfect works, not to get lost in the colossal size of the monumental horses, not to be crumpled by this six? - the baron came out the winner. "
At the same time, Klodt began to work on the first model of the equestrian group "Horse with a Vodnichy". The first mention of this sculptural composition and its image we meet on the project of the pier near the Academy of Arts, made by K.A. Tonne in 1831, and in accompanying documents. On the project, we see two equestrian groups symmetrically placed, mirroring each other. In 1833, "The Tsar Emperor, being very pleased with the two plaster models presented by the artist Klodt, commissioned to him by horse groups," approved them for installation on the docks of the Admiralty Boulevard. K.A. Ton was instructed to design the location and size of the groups.
September 20, 1833 P.K. Klodt "out of love for his arts and for successful studies in the field of sculpture ... was elected to the appointed Academicians of the Imperial Academy of Arts."
On November 6 of the same year, a wedding took place with the niece of I.P. Martos Iulianna Ivanovna Spiridonova. The image of the sculptor's wife is known from the portrait of K.P.Bryullov and watercolors by P.F. Sokolov.
5. Sculptural groups of Anichkov Bridge
The most significant work on the reconstruction of the bridge was carried out in 1839-1841 according to the project of engineers Gotman, Raeder, Buttats. When Klodt found out about the ongoing reconstruction of the bridge across the Fontanka, he proposed to design it with his own horse groups, which would look spectacular from Nevsky Prospekt. Nikolay 1 approved this idea for implementation. On March 19, 1838, Klodt was awarded the title of academician and foundry master. In April of the same year, "by his highest Imperial Majesty's command", the sculptor was elevated to the rank of professor at the Imperial Academy of Arts. Thus, 1838 brought official recognition of his unique talent, and Russia acquired a remarkable sculptor and caster in one person.
The first Klodt group, "A Horse with a Vodnichy", was shown in 1839 at an exhibition of the Imperial Academy of Arts and caused general delight.
The first two compositions "A Horse with a Vodnichim" were installed in 1841 on plinths made of dark pink rapakivi granite at the entrance to the bridge from the side of the Anichkov Palace. Their re-ebb tides were placed on the opposite side of the bridge. After the installation of the first two equestrian groups on the Anichkov Bridge in 1842, it was decided to remove their repeated ebb tides from the abutments of the bridge to be sent to Berlin as a gift from Emperor Nicholas 1 to the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm 4.
On April 1, 1843, Klodt "for the excellent performance of the equestrian groups, made by him again for the Anichkov Bridge, was most mercifully awarded the Knight of the Order of St. Anna, 3rd degree." In 1843, new ebb tides appeared on the bridge, which in 1846 were presented as a gift to the King of Naples Ferdinand 4. Temporarily on the bridge they were replaced by plaster panels, tinted in bronze. On July 22, 1846, for the groups sent to Naples, Klodt was awarded the Knight Commander of the Order of St. Ferdinand from His Majesty the King of Naples.
The painstaking and inspired work of the sculptor, who created an amazing sculptural ensemble, lasted almost twenty years. The third and fourth compositions were cast in bronze in 1849 and 1850 according to new models and then installed on the bridge. All four groups are connected by a common theme, which tells about the taming of a wild horse by man. The compositions are imbued with the dynamics of the struggle, masterfully conveyed and completely plastic interpreted by the master. The proportions of horses and the figures of men are distinguished by harmony and classic beauty. It is known that he initially used the horse Serko and later Amalatbek as models.
Equestrian groups are ingeniously simply united by one plot idea - four moments of taming an unbroken horse are taken. The proportionality of compositional solutions and plastic proximity make these works a single ensemble.
The plot of the ensemble: in the first group, the animal is submissive to man - a naked athlete, squeezing the bridle, restrains the reared horse. Both the animal and the person are tense, the struggle is growing. This is shown using two main diagonals: the smooth silhouette of the horse's neck and back, which can be seen against the sky, forms the first diagonal that intersects with the diagonal formed by the figure of the athlete. The movements are highlighted with rhythmic repetitions. In the second group, the head of the animal is turned up high, the mouth is bared, the nostrils are swollen, the horse beats with its front hooves in the air, the figure of the driver is deployed in the form of a spiral, he is trying to upset the horse. The main diagonals of the composition approach each other, the silhouettes of the horse and the driver seem to intertwine with each other. In the third group, the horse overcomes the driver: the man is thrown to the ground, and the horse tries to break free, triumphantly arching its neck and throwing the blanket to the ground. The freedom of the horse is impeded only by the bridle in the driver's left hand. The main diagonals of the composition are clearly expressed and their intersection is highlighted. The silhouettes of the horse and the driver form an open composition, in contrast to the first two sculptures. In the fourth group, a man tames an angry animal: leaning on one knee, he tames the wild run of a horse, squeezing the bridle with both hands. The silhouette of the horse forms a very flat diagonal, the silhouette of the driver is indistinguishable due to the drapery falling from the back of the horse. The silhouette of the monument again received isolation and poise.
The entire process of sculptural work, from modeling to casting from bronze, was carried out by Klodt himself in the foundry at the Academy of Arts.
Klodt's contemporaries and subsequently all the authors who wrote about the groups of the Anichkov Bridge paid special attention to close attention to nature, a special love for the horse.
The figures of the Dioscuri in the Roman Forum on the Capitol Hill served as a direct prototype of Klodt's horses, but these antique sculptures had an unnatural motive of movement, and there was also a violation of proportions: in comparison with the enlarged figures of young men, the horses look too small.
Another prototype was the "Horses of Marly" by the French sculptor Guillaume Couste, created by him around 1740, and located in Paris at the entrance to the Champs Elysees from the Place de la Concorde. In the interpretation of the Kustu, the horses personify the animal principle, symbolize the impetuous indomitable ferocity and are depicted as giants next to small drivers.
Klodt, in turn, depicted ordinary cavalry horses, whose anatomy he studied for many years. The realism of proportions and plastics was depicted by the sculptor in the traditions of classicism and this helped to fit the sculptural decoration of the bridge into the historical architectural landscape of this part of the city. One of the major differences between this composition and the works of its predecessors is the rejection of the idea of complete and unconditional symmetry and the creation of a sequential work, consisting of four compositions.
Simultaneously with the dispatch of horse groups abroad, in 1840, two compositions were brought to the estate of the Golitsyn princes near Moscow and installed in front of the pavilion of the horse yard. In the 1850s, two groups, performed twice by the method of electroplating, were installed in Stary Peterhof near the Belvedere building and in Strelna in Oryol Park, all of them disappeared during the Great Patriotic War.
On October 3, 1848, Klodt was "elevated to the title of professor of the first degree in respect of the benefits he brought to the arts and students." On May 21, 1852, the Roman Academy of Arts of St. Luke elected the Russian sculptor as its member, and on December 10, 1859, the Paris Academy of Fine Arts as a corresponding member.
6. Monument to I.A. Krylov in the Summer Garden
The entire long life of the great Russian poet, who worked in the genre of fables, was associated with St. Petersburg: he came here at the age of thirteen and lived here for over sixty years, practically never leaving St. Petersburg. In this city, fame and popular love came to Krylov.
When he left this world in 1844, his death was perceived as a nationwide grief. A year later, in 1845, an all-Russian voluntary subscription was announced through the newspapers in order to erect a monument to the fabulist. In 1848, more than 30 thousand rubles were collected, and a competition was announced by the Academy of Arts, in which all the leading sculptors of that time took part.
In May 1848, the committee proposed to the sovereign the following artists for election: Vitali, Klodt, Terebenev, Pimenov and Stavasser. Nicholas 1 ordered to open a competition between them. The deadline for submitting the project was set for October 1, 1848.
By the indicated date, Vitali and Stavasser could not do the work due to illness, and Klodt and Terebenev were busy with urgent official orders. Only the project completed by Pimenov was delivered to the Academy of Arts, but it was decided to consider it when all the others were presented.
To participate in the competition, Pimenov and Stavasser left Italy and arrived in St. Petersburg in the fall of 1849. In November, all five sculptors submitted their drawings to the Academy of Arts. Of all the works, only two were recognized as satisfactory: Klodt and Pimenov. The priority of the idea belonged to Pimenov, but the simplicity of the solution to the composition of the monument and the rejection of allegorical figures made it possible to give preference to Klodt.
Klodt makes a series of pencil sketches in which he tries to group the figures of various animals. He selected the most expressive figures that could be placed in the corners of the pedestal. The sculptor turned to A.A. Aginu, who took upon himself the task of creating graphic sketches of the bas-reliefs of the monument.
Agin rendered serious creative assistance to Klodt. In his drawings, the compositional relationship of figures, their spatial relationship was found. The very graphic study of the images was carried out taking into account the use of the features of light and shade in the sculpting of the sculpture.
Interesting documentary details about Klodt's work on the monument were presented by V. Ostrogorsky: “Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich, who loved Krylov very much and was disposed to the artist, immediately ordered to send at the disposal of the last living animals from his royal hunt, a wolf, an eagle, a fox and a bear with a bear. Someone gave the artist a black bear - an anteater, and from Finland, where Klodt often traveled, he himself brought a little wolf cub. The artist Bogolyubov brought a monkey - a macaque from Madeira ».
By May 23, 1852, Klodt graduated from the large model of the monument. In June of the same year, Klodt was allowed to start casting the bronze monument.
In April 1854, the monument was ready to be installed in place. However, the moment of installation was postponed due to the Crimean War. After the death of Nicholas 1, the decision to open the monument was made by Alexander 2.
There were several options for choosing a site for the monument. It was supposed to install it on Vasilievsky Island, where the fabulist lived. The monument could have stood on the embankment of the Neva, between the building of the Twelve Collegia and the Academy of Sciences. The Summer Garden was preferred. Under Peter the Great, a "green labyrinth" was created here. At the entrance to the labyrinth stood a gilded and lead cast statue of the fabulist Aesop. In place of the disappeared Aesop and the characters of his fables, a monument to Krylov appeared.
In 1869, a lattice was installed around the monument, made according to the models of the sculptor E.K. Ehrenberg.
Depicting Krylov, Klodt originally conceived to present him in an antique toga, which we see in one of the early sketches. Klodt immediately rejected such a solution, typical of classical art of the 1830s, on the monument. Working on the portrait statue of Krylov, the sculptor focused on the picturesque images of K.P. Bryullov and a bust of S.I. Galberg. The portrait created by Galberg was repeated with all accuracy by Klodt in his monument. The character of the sculpting of the face, the construction of the shape of the head, the location of wrinkles and folds, the drawing of eyebrows and lips, as well as strands of hair are reproduced in detail. Klodt fashioned, as eyewitnesses say, the fabulist's genuine frock coat.
Even the sculptor's contemporaries noted his full-scale work as the basis of Klodt's creative method. The Krylov monument was unlike other monuments, and its main feature was that, in addition to the image of the great Russian fabulist, instructive scenes from all known fables were presented. Ornamental - decorative relief, like a living carpet, covers the pedestal made of dark Serdobol granite. There is no mechanical connection of various animal and plant motifs. As you walk around the monument, paintings unfold in front of the viewer - a kind of sculptural illustrations for fables.
Klodt was criticized for petty pickiness in order to achieve maximum realism in the depiction of animals in high relief, pointing out to the author that the characters in the fables in the imagination of readers were more allegorical than they were real crayfish, dogs, foxes. In addition, the authors of the monument were criticized for the disproportion between the high relief of the pedestal, which is complex in composition, and the realistic artistic solution of the portrait statue.
Despite this criticism, the descendants highly appreciated the work of the sculptors, and the Krylov monument took its rightful place in the history of Russian sculpture.
7.Monument to Nicholas 1
The beginning of the creation of the monument should be considered May 2, 1856, when the project was approved by the architect O. Montferrand at the behest of Emperor Alexander II. The main builder of the monument was O. Montferrand. The mining of red, gray granite and Shokhan porphyry was completed by the fall of 1857. On December 28, 1857, the first stone of the pedestal was laid in place.
In the summer of 1857, the models of the equestrian statue, "emblematic figures", bronze decorations were completed and orders were made for their casting.
At the beginning of 1858, work continued on the arrangement of the granite part of the pedestal and began to cast the bronze parts of the monument. In April, an equestrian statue and two bas-reliefs were cast, entrusted to Baron Klodt. The first casting of the equestrian group was unsuccessful. On February 21, 1859, the statue was cast by Klodt again and successfully. Undoubtedly, the brightest page in the history of the creation of the monument is the work of Klodt on the equestrian statue. It is known that the sculptor had to remake the already finished model, as evidenced by archival documents.
On December 9, 1856, Alexander II examined the small-sized models of the equestrian statue. The emperor wished "to change the horse's gait from the left leg to the right, reduce the visor at the helmet, put on the helmet a little back, make the boots softer, the epaulettes and the right sleeve above the elbow a little fuller."
Usually, everyone who turned to the description of the equestrian statue of Nicholas 1 noted the technical skill of performing the most difficult task - setting the horse on two points of support.
Only such well-known artists as the experienced architect Montferrand and the skilled sculptor and foundryman Klodt could undertake the execution of such a bold undertaking. For the strength of the horse's legs, Klodt ordered iron supports from “the best factory, which were made under Klodt's personal supervision. These supports are already inserted into the model's hind legs. "
Undoubtedly, in the equestrian statue, the rider looks both majestic and ceremonial, and a helmet with a two-headed eagle, unlike the original sketch, crowns his head, and is not in his hand. This compositional decision, as well as the fact that, in contrast to the named sketch, the horse was presented standing on its hind legs, and not standing calmly, enhanced the effect of the dynamics and beauty of the equestrian monument.
After the equestrian statue was successfully cast by Klodt on February 21, 1859, it was necessary to proceed with its delivery to the installation site.
The equestrian statue of Nicholas 1 stands proudly on a complex elliptical pedestal, around the circumference of which are placed bronze bas-reliefs, trophies, four "emblematic figures" and decorative ornaments.
Of particular interest are the "emblematic figures" made by Zaleman, they depict "Justice", "Strength", "Wisdom" and "Faith". Three sides of the pedestal are decorated with military attributes. Between the statues are the weapons of the troops of the times of Nicholas 1, on the side facing the Mariinsky Palace - Caucasian mountain attributes, and on the third side - ancient Slavic weapons. The fittings, numerous ornaments and reliefs facing the Mariinsky Palace - "Presentation by Count Speransky in the State Council of the Code of Laws to Emperor Nicholas 1" - were created by Zaleman.
8. Monumental and memorial works of P.K. Klodt
The sculptor's work is distinguished by a variety of works performed - monumental and memorial works, portraits and figurines. He went down in the history of Russian plastic art as the creator of the animalistic genre in sculpture.However, high reliefs created by Klodt are of great importance for the development of monumental and decorative art. For the northern portico of St. Isaac's Cathedral, he sculpted and cast from bronze the monumental high reliefs "Carrying the Cross", "Entry into the Tomb", for the interior - the sculptural group "Christ in Glory". At the same time, he created a bas-relief depicting St. George the Victorious for the Moscow Kremlin Palace. He began work on the high reliefs of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow in 1855. He sculpted models of a number of high reliefs: "Saints Peter and Alexy of Moscow" and others. Based on the models, the high reliefs were carved out of marble. The works of Klodt themselves have not survived.
In 1848, the sculptor made a bas-relief frieze "Serving the Horse to Man" for the service building of the marble palace in St. Petersburg. In the two lateral gables, the bas-reliefs are composed of figures of trumpeting tritons, dolphins and images of rostras. All sculptural works are made of plaster. This work of Klodt is one of the most interesting, but less known monumental high reliefs of St. Petersburg.
The plaster model of the Apollo quadriga was made by Klodt after the fire of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow; its composition resembles the Apollo chariot on the attic of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.
In 1840, Klodt worked on a bust and a figure of a lion for a monument to the infantry general K.I. Bistrom. The sculptor sculpted and molded a sculpture of an eagle for the monument to the life - the guard of the sapper battalion on the Babiegon Heights near Peterhof. This monument was erected at the behest of Nicholas 1. A gilded bronze eagle with outstretched wings was erected on a huge granite boulder. In 1899, the monument was moved to St. Petersburg to the Church of St. Cosmas and Damian, at the end of 1940 the church and the monument were dismantled.
The sculptor also worked in the field of memorial and portrait plastics, about what
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The main theme in the work of P.K. Klodta - horses.
The main, but not the only one: he also created a famous monument to the fabulist I.A. Krylov in the Summer Garden of St. Petersburg, a monument to Prince Vladimir in Kiev and many other wonderful works.
A family
"The genealogy of the Klodt von Jurgensburg family" was compiled in German in March 1852 by the sculptor's son, Mikhail Klodt. Major General Baron Karl Gustav, the father of Peter Klodt, came from the Baltic Germans. He was a military general, took part in the Patriotic War of 1812 and in other battles. His portrait is in the Honorary Gallery of the Winter Palace.
The family had 8 children: 6 sons and 2 daughters. The future sculptor was born on May 24, 1805 in St. Petersburg. In 1814, Baron Karl Gustav was appointed chief of staff of a separate Siberian corps, and the family moved to Omsk. Here in 1822 my father died, so the Klodt family returned to St. Petersburg.
Peter Karlovich Klodt
Peter Klodt decided to continue the military career of his ancestors (his grandfather was also a military man) and entered the St. Petersburg Artillery School as a cadet. He graduated from college at the age of 19 and was promoted to ensign. But from childhood, back in Omsk, he was fond of carving, modeling and drawing, he especially liked to portray horses, in which he saw a special charm. So in the struggle between a military career and artistic creation, several years have passed. Finally, Klodt finally made up his mind: he resigned, and after a while he became a volunteer at the Academy of Arts and devoted himself entirely to sculpture.
Horse theme
He constantly created figurines of horses (from paper, from wood), even while in military service. To decorate the desk of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, by order of Nicholas I, he created the Cavalier statuette, which was very popular.
And now, finally, the real work: he received a government order and in 1833 created six horses for the Narva Triumphal Gate in St. Petersburg. The figures of the horses were made of forged copper. The swift movement of the horses and the naturalness of their poses were masterfully conveyed.
Decoration of the Anichkov bridge
Anichkov bridge
Having learned about the reconstruction of the Anichkov Bridge, Klodt suggested that it be decorated with horse groups, and Nicholas I supported this idea. It was supposed to install two pairs of sculptural compositions "Horse Tamers" on four pedestals on the western and eastern sides of the bridge.
During the work, the head of the Foundry House of the Imperial Academy of Arts, V.P. Ekimov, suddenly died, and Klodt himself had to supervise the execution of the foundry work.
First composition
A man tames the running of a horse, squeezes the bridle with both hands, leaning on one knee. But the angry animal is not ready to obey.
Second composition
The man is thrown to the ground, the horse is trying to break free, triumphantly arching its neck. But with his left hand, the driver holds him tightly by the bridle.
Third composition
The front hooves of the animal hang in the air in motion, the head is turned up, the mouth is bared, the nostrils are swollen. The man tries to besiege him.
Fourth composition
The horse is submissive to a person who, squeezing the bridle, restrains the reared animal. But the struggle between them is not over.
The bridge was opened after restoration on November 20, 1841, but bronze sculptures were located only on the right bank of the Fontanka, and painted plaster copies were installed on the pedestals of the left bank.
In 1842, bronze sculptures were also made for the left bank, but the emperor presented them to the Prussian king Frederick William IV.
Klodt's horses in front of the Berlin castle
In 1843-1844. copies were made again and remained on the pedestals of the Anichkov Bridge until the spring of 1846. Nicholas I sent them to the Royal Palace in Naples.
Horses of Klodt in Naples
Several more copies of the sculptures were created and placed in different regions of Russia. For example, in the Golitsyn estate in Kuzminki.
In 1850, new bronze equestrian figures of Klodt were installed on the bridge, and the work on the decoration of the Anichkov Bridge was completed.
Monuments
Monument to Emperor Nicholas I (St. Petersburg)
6-meter equestrian statue of Nicholas I also P.K. Klodt executed it in 1859 according to the project of the architect Auguste Montferrand, who conceived this monument as a unifying center of the architectural ensemble of the large St. Isaac's Square between the Mariinsky Palace and St. Isaac's Cathedral. The emperor is depicted in the ceremonial uniform of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment. It is impossible not to note the technical skill of sculpture - placing the horse on two points of support. For their strength, Klodt ordered iron supports weighing 60 pounds.
Several sculptors worked on the monument. Montferrand himself made an elliptical pedestal of the monument, which is made of crimson Karelian Shoksha quartzite and white Italian marble. The base is made of gray Serdobol granite.
The sculptor R.K. Zaleman created 4 allegorical female figures, personifying "Strength", "Wisdom", "Justice" and "Faith" (portraits of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and daughters of Nicholas I Maria, Alexandra and Olga. Between the first two statues there is a bronze gilded state emblem, under which contains the inscription: "Nicholas I - to the Emperor of All Russia. 1859".
Four bas-reliefs on a pedestal with images of the main events of the reign of Nicholas I were made by sculptors N.A. Romazanov and R.K. Zaleman.
Bas-relief "The opening of the Verebyinsky bridge of the Petersburg-Moscow railway by the emperor in 1851"
Monument to I.A. Krylov (St. Petersburg)
The initiator of the creation of the monument to Krylov was his friend General Rostovtsov, in whose hands the great fabulist died. The monument was created with public money collected by subscription. At the same time, the Academy of Arts announced a competition, in which the leading sculptors of that time took part.
The competition was won by the project of the sculptor Baron von Klodt.
In 1855, Klodt erected a bronze statue of the fabulist in the Summer Garden of St. Petersburg on a granite pedestal decorated with bronze images of people and animals - characters from Krylov's fables. IA Krylov is depicted sitting on a stone and holding a pen and a notebook.
Characters of Krylov's fables on the front bas-relief of the pedestal
Monument to Prince Vladimir the Great (Kiev)
This monument was created by a group of sculptors and architects: Pyotr Klodt made the statue of Vladimir, Alexander Ton - the pedestal, Vasily Demut-Malinovsky - the bas-reliefs. The monument rises on the steep bank of the Dnieper in the Vladimirskaya Gorka park. It is a 4.5 m high bronze statue mounted on a 16 m high pedestal. The monument is made in the style of Russian classicism. Prince Vladimir is dressed in a flowing long cloak, in his hand he holds a cross that overshadows the city.
The monument was installed in Kiev in 1853.
Other sculptural works by P.K. Klodt
Together with sculptors A.V. Loganovsky, N.A. Romazanov and others. P. Klodt worked on sculptures of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.
In 1853, the building of the Bolshoi Theater burned down in Moscow; the fire lasted for several days, only the stone outer walls of the building and the colonnade of the portico survived. A competition was announced for the best project for the restoration of the theater, in which the chief architect of the Imperial Theaters, Albert Cavos, won. The theater was rebuilt in 3 years: Kavos increased the height of the building, changed the proportions and completely redesigned the architectural decor, decorating the facades in the spirit of eclecticism. The alabaster sculpture of Apollo over the entrance portico perished in the fire, and a bronze quadriga by Pyotr Klodt was placed in its place.
Quadriga of Apollo on the facade of the Bolshoi Theater
The plaster coat of arms of the Russian Empire - a two-headed eagle - was installed on the pediment. The theater reopened on August 20, 1856.
In addition, Klodt worked all his life in the plastic arts of small forms: he created statuettes that were highly valued by his contemporaries. Some of them are on display at the State Russian Museum.
Monument to Peter I in Kronstadt
An amazing effect of transferring the movement of a horse leaning on one leg was achieved by Klodt in the statuette “Major General F.I. Lefleur ". Under the leadership of the sculptor, a monument to Peter I in Kronstadt (1841), a monument to N.M. Karamzin in Simbirsk (1845); monument to G.R. Derzhavin in Kazan (1847); according to his project, a monument to the ataman M.I. was erected in Novocherkassk. Platov (1853) and others.
Monument to the Russian sculptor P.K. Klodt in the courtyard of the Academy of Arts (St. Petersburg)
Pyotr Klodt was born in 1805 in St. Petersburg into a military family, descended from an old German family. His father was a general, a hero of the Patriotic War of 1812. Despite the fact that the future sculptor was born in the capital, he spent his youth in Omsk, far from European education and culture. Like his ancestors, he wanted to connect his life with a military career - in Omsk he was a cadet at a Cossack school, and upon returning to St. Petersburg he entered an artillery school. Despite this choice, during the years of his studies, at every opportunity, he took up a pencil or a penknife - cut out figures of horses and people - a hobby that his father "infected" him.
After completing his studies, Klodt was promoted to ensign, served in an artillery brigade, but in 1828 he left the service to focus exclusively on art. For two years he studied independently, after which he became a volunteer at the Academy of Arts: the rector of the academy Martos and teachers, seeing talent and skill in Klodt, helped him achieve success. Over time, he became a real master of his craft and was known not only at the imperial court, but also far beyond its borders. The most famous creation of Klodt is, of course, sculptures horse tamers on the Anichkov bridge in St. Petersburg, but his other works are no less magnificent. "Evening Moscow" invites you to remember the most famous of them.
Horses of the Narva Triumphal Gate
Klodt carried out this large government order together with such experienced sculptors as S. Pimenov and V. Demut-Malinovsky. On the attic of the arch there is a six horses carrying a chariot of the goddess of glory, made of forged copper according to Klodt's model in 1833. Unlike the classical depictions of this plot, the horses performed by Klodt rush forward and even rears up. At the same time, the entire sculptural composition gives the impression of a rapid movement. After completing this work, the author received worldwide fame and patronage of Nicholas I. There is a legend that Nicholas I said: "Well, Klodt, you make horses better than a stallion."
The most famous creation of Klodt is, of course, the sculptural group of horse tamers on the Anichkov Bridge in St. Petersburg, but other works of the master are no less magnificent.
"Horse Tamers" of Anichkov Bridge
The famous "Horse Tamers" were originally supposed to be located not at all where they can be seen today. The sculptures were supposed to decorate the docks of Admiralteisky Boulevard, at the entrance to Palace Square. It is noteworthy that both the place and the project itself were personally approved Nicholas I... When everything was already ready for casting, Klodt decided that it was useless to tame horses near water and ships. He began to look for a place and rather quickly his choice fell on the Anichkov Bridge, which was already in need of reconstruction and was rather plain. The sculptor hinted at his idea, and the emperor supported him. Nikolai provided the sculptor with two purebred Arab stallions - he was allowed to do whatever he wanted with them. Klodt's experience gained while studying at the Academy was very useful - at that time he was a student of one of the outstanding Russian foundry workers Yekimov, and by the time the "Tamers" was created he had already managed to head the entire Foundry Dvor. Seeing the first bronze blanks, the emperor told the sculptor that they came out even better than the stallions actually looked.
On November 20, 1841, the grand opening of the Anichkov Bridge after reconstruction took place, to which the Petersburgers literally walked in crowds. But then the residents did not see the true beauty of Klodt's work - Nicholas I decided to donate two sculptures to the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm, and painted plaster copies were installed instead. Three years later, the copies were made again, but they did not last long either - this time the "king of the two Sicilies" Ferdinand II became their lucky owner. Only in 1850 did the plaster copies finally disappear from the bridge, and bronze figures took their place.
Anichkov bridge in the 1850s
Monument to Ivan Krylov
The life of the famous fabulist is almost inextricably linked with St. Petersburg - he lived in the city for almost sixty years, rarely leaving its borders. His death in 1844 became a national tragedy, and a year later a voluntary subscription was announced, the purpose of which was to raise money for a monument to the famous poet. In 1849, Klodt's project won an open competition. The initial sketches assumed the creation of an almost antique image of the poet, but the sculptor took a bold step - he abandoned the ideas of the embodiment of idealistic images prevailing at that time, and wanted to depict the poet as accurately as possible, in a natural setting. According to contemporaries, he managed to achieve almost portrait resemblance to the original. Along the perimeter of the pedestal, the sculptor placed animals - the heroes of Krylov's fables. The monument adorns the Summer Garden of St. Petersburg to this day.
Monument to Nicholas I on St. Isaac's Square
Monument to Prince Vladimir of Kiev
In 1833 the sculptor V. Demut-Malinovsky worked on the project of a monument to Prince Vladimir of Kiev - the initiator of the baptism of Rus in 988. The work ended with the presentation in 1835 of the project to the President of the Imperial Academy of Arts. For unclear reasons, work on the project was suspended for a decade. In 1846, Demut-Malinovsky died, after which the architect K. Ton took over the management of the work, who designed the pedestal in the form of a high tower-like church in the pseudo-Byzantine style. At that time, Klodt was in charge of the foundry yard of the Academy of Arts and he was entrusted with casting the monument in bronze. Before casting, he had to reproduce a small figurine made at one time by Demut-Malinovsky on a gigantic scale of a monument. While doing this work, it is inevitable to make changes relative to the model. It is impossible to assess these differences, since it is not possible to compare the draft design with the monument: the draft model has not survived. Klodt did a great job on the face of the sculpture, giving it an expression of spirituality and inspiration. The sculptor did his work very conscientiously, transported the statue from St. Petersburg to Kiev, and very well chose a place for it: it is inscribed in the high mountainous landscape of the Dnieper bank.
Monument to Prince Vladimir of Kiev
Monument to Nicholas I
The monument to the controversial but outstanding emperor was laid a year after his death - in 1856. It was initially a complex project, on which several sculptors had to work, but the most responsible work - the embodiment of the sovereign's figure - was entrusted to Klodt. He managed to successfully cope with the task only the second time - during the first attempt, the shape of the sculpture could not stand it, and the molten bronze flowed out. Nicholas' heir, Alexander II, allowed the sculptor to make a secondary casting, which proved to be successful. In order to take the sculpture outside the Imperial Academy of Arts, where it was cast, it was necessary to break the walls: its dimensions were so great. On June 25, 1859, the monument was inaugurated in the presence of Alexander II... Contemporaries were amazed at an unprecedented achievement: Klodt managed to achieve that the sculpture of the rider was based on only two points of support, on the hind legs of the horse! In Europe, such a monument was erected for the first time, the only earlier example of such an embodiment of an engineering miracle was the American monument to President Andrew Jackson in the capital of the United States. After the October 1917 coup, the question of dismantling the monument as a legacy of the tsarist regime was repeatedly raised, but the artistic genius of Klodt saved the monument from destruction: thanks to the uniqueness of the system of only two pillars, it was recognized as a miracle of engineering thought and preserved.
I am looking at a drawing from 160 years ago, where a certain artist reflected the 30-year-old sculptor Pyotr Karlovich Klodt: what a resemblance to his great-great-great-grandson Yevgeny, an artist-designer and my friend!
Evgeny Klodt: Our family is known almost from the X-XII centuries. My father looked for the roots of the Klodts all over Europe, for everywhere they left their mark. He found his ancestors in the genealogies of the ancient Lombard Caesars, veterans of Julius Caesar, in Westphalia, Saxony and Prussia, in the principalities of Ailen, Warburg, Braunschweig, in Livonia and Courland ...
But the fate of this lively and fruitful family suddenly took an amazing turn: from the 18th century the Klodts were resolutely "registered" in Russia. And then, in the full sense of the word, they shone.
The first Russian Klodt was named from birth Karl Gustav. At the courts and armies of their Imperial Majesties Catherine II, Paul I and Alexander I he was christened Karl Fedorovich. For impeccable service, they were awarded the Orders of St. Vladimir and St. Anna. Golden sword - "For courage". With this sword Colonel Karl Klodt marched against the French in the Battle of Borodino. He finished his service as a baron and general, leaving Russia with five sons.
One of them was named Pyotr Klodt. His bronze horses have been decorating Anichkov Bridge for a century and a half. On the four of his winged horses, the god Apollo rides along the pediment of the Bolshoi Theater. From the walls of the Grand Kremlin Palace, George the Victorious rushes towards the insidious Serpent ...
Traitor to the clan
His "horse" fate was, as it were, predetermined: as a child, father Karl sent his son Petka from the army of paper horses cut from playing cards; in his youth, as a cadet-artilleryman, he admired the dressage of the capital's hussars. But he did not go to the hussars. He liked not to prancing, but to watch horses - to become them, natural grace, innate nobility. In the artillery class, instead of ballistic trajectories, he drew horses. And once he saw how Peter cut a horse out of a birch log, his elder brother Vladimir exclaimed: "Petka, you are a traitor of our kind! Horseman! Coachman!"
But the "horseman" continued to make horses. Once on Petrov's day, colleagues came to Warrant Officer Pyotr Klodt. An unfamiliar staff captain is with them. He looked at the wooden horses with interest. And suddenly he said: "Sell your horse, Baron!" - "Not for sale", - answered Peter. "From what?" - "The officer's honor does not order. But I can give it."
At the Palace Square, the architect Rossi erected the General Staff building - in memory of the war with Napoleon. And when the Chariot of Victory rose up over the arch, sparkling, something exploded in Lieutenant Klodt's chest. Six bronze horses flew towards him from the skies. The next day he resigned ...
And then miracles began. Someone from the royal retinue presented Emperor Nicholas I with a wooden horseman. The tsar, who adored such toys and, as you know, loved to play "cavalry", said: "It's lovely. Who is this gifted carver?" - "Baron Klodt, Your Majesty. Retired lieutenant". - "Let a detachment of horse guards cut out for me." And, having received them, he ordered: "Now show me this baron!"
Lady Luck
No joke: a retired lieutenant, a toy-maker, a poor man (even if a baron) has been invited to an audience with the emperor himself! As in a fairy tale, the Tsarev's test successfully passes: the self-taught, surprisingly to everyone, brilliantly copies German prints. Then he was highly recommended to the Academy of Arts, taken under its patronage. His life was suddenly put on a creative track: lectures at the Academy, copying antique marbles in museums and palaces, making new acquaintances ... But the sculpture is still "around the corner", and Pyotr Klodt still cuts his toys - horses and hussars that go snapped up.
Meanwhile, he is twenty-five - the age when true masters, as a rule, already create masterpieces. From Peter's toys to real sculpture, it seems, oh, how far is it! However, Lady Luck does not sleep. The mysterious fate of Klodt prepares for his astounding takeoff. New (stone, instead of wooden) Narva Triumphal Gates have already been erected, over which the Chariot of Glory is about to rise.
The chariot was fashioned by Demut, the figures of horses by Pimenov. But the tsar suddenly declares that "Pimenov's horses are too thin." And he orders to call the equally famous sculptors Galberg and Orlovsky. However, both (out of professional solidarity or fear of displeasing the emperor) find a pretext for refusal. And then ... Then suddenly they remember the "toy" Klodt! Dazed, frightened, Peter hesitates. But they say to him: "You cannot refuse, Baron. For some people, perhaps it will do. But you will not be forgiven, for you are nobody."
And the incredible happens. The master, who had never worked in clay and plaster, in ancient classics and imperial forms, sculpted the first giant horse so that the commission was unanimous: "This model has been made with the desired success." All six horses were sculpted and cast in just a year. And the Chariot of Glory rushed off. The result was an even more impossible event: the self-taught sculptor was awarded the title of academician at once.
Evgeny Klodt: In the same 1832, an event took place in the life of Pyotr Karlovich, perhaps even more important: the young academician married the niece of Martos, the rector of the Academy, - Yulenka. And, as time has shown, he acquired a treasure worthy of all his future deeds. My great-great-grandfather, genre painter Mikhail Petrovich Klodt, recalled: "My mother was pretty, slender and graceful. Moreover, she had a cheerful character." "With Yulenka, I am like Christ's in the bosom," Peter used to say. A kind of gift for the newlyweds was the next order of the tsar, who, years later, would lead Klodt to his Olympus - to the Anichkov Bridge.
The road to Anichkov
The Anichkov Bridge was still narrow and empty at that time. And, perhaps, he would have remained so if Nicholas I had not appointed the young sculptor a new meeting - this time in his horse-guards arena, at the review of English stallions.
The horses were taken out by the English watermen. The Tsar compared them with the mythological Dioscuri and asked Klodt: "What do you say, Baron?" “Noble horses, Your Majesty,” Peter answered evasively. “That's what,” the emperor continued. "We are rebuilding Palace Square: it would be nice to put horses and tamers there."
And Klodt thought that this time he could not do without a live horse, without genuine nature. The horse should be there all the time, day and night. This is the only way to become a vodnik of your horse: first, tame and tame it yourself, and only then saddle - a bronze one.
And so they brought two purebred Arabian stallions from the tsar's stables to the academic stable - at the complete disposal of the sculptor: Peter could draw them, and sculpt, and feed them from his own hands, and harness them to his carriage.
And the work went on. Nicholas I, who visited the workshop and saw the horses still in the clay, said with admiration: "Baron, your horses are better than my stallions."
Evgeny Klodt: The first two groups were ready for casting. However ... How did Klodt's horses end up on the Anichkov Bridge? After all, both the tsar and then the academic council decided to install the "Tamers" (that was the conventional name) near the Admiralty Boulevard, at the entrance from the embankment to the Palace Square. But one fine summer evening, Pyotr Karlovich left the house and went to look for his place. Many years later, collecting material for a book about my great-great-grandfather, my father Georgy Klodt followed the same path.
"... Through the Isaac pontoon bridge," his father said, "Pyotr Klodt walked to the Admiralty and the Embankment, where he should put his horses. Right and left are the majestic spiers of Peter and Paul and the Admiralty, between them the masts of the ships. Well, if you look from the Nevsky "Right in the eye - a spire. So who and where will see his horses here? And, leaving the Admiralty behind him, he walked along Nevsky Prospekt. He crossed the Moika River, looked at Teatralnaya. Returned to Nevsky. There seemed to be nowhere further. And he stopped on the Anichkov Bridge, and Nevsky was leaving as far as he could see: carriages were racing, officers were prancing, ladies and gentlemen were walking, officials were in a hurry ... And, feeling a sudden heartbeat, Pyotr Karlovich understood - the choice was made: from this place he saw everything, and - everyone saw him! "
Cast it myself
Having decided (contrary to the Tsar's plan) to stage his sculptural "poem" on Anichkov, Peter only hinted about this to Nicholas - the agreement came by itself. The tsar understood that Anichkov was really out of date and needed reconstruction. And then the horses of Klodt will be in place here.
The logic of Klodt's creative behavior invariably led him to success. So, while still a volunteer at the Academy, he became an apprentice to the best Russian foundry worker Vasily Yekimov. And having already become famous, he did not leave artistic casting in order to reliably know what and how from sculpted will go into bronze. At that moment, when the first models were ready for casting, Yekimov suddenly died. And, as the only sculptor who perfectly mastered casting, Klodt was offered not only to dress his products in bronze, but also to head the entire Foundry House.
And now the solemn hour has come. A lot of people gathered around the smelting furnaces around Klodt and his henchmen. We were waiting for the start of the metal. The crowd, taking off their hats and crossing themselves, fell silent. The workers struck the cast with crowbars, and the molten bronze, breathing hotly and sparkling, flowed into the molds. Klodt was all in suspense. The workers were feverish from the heat - they were given milk to drink. The president of the Academy of Arts Olenin, unable to stand with excitement, sat outside the doors of the foundry and muttered prayers. Suddenly, a powerful "hurray" was heard. It is finished! Klodt went out to Olenin, collapsed next to him on a stool ...
And on the Nevsky Prospect the Anichkov Bridge was being rebuilt. Architects, railroad workers, builders - all of Petersburg worked on Klodt horses. Soon the second group of "Tamers" was cast - the one where the young vodnichy holds the rearing horse. For both the first and second bronze groups, Klodt made copies of them in plaster, tinted in bronze. The tsar was eager to open the new Anichkov as soon as possible, placing sculptures on all four corners of the bridge. Did Pyotr Klodt then think that it would take another ten years before he played his entire brilliant performance in front of the Petersburgers at Anichkov - in four bronze scenes?
However, what St. Petersburg saw on November 20, 1841, amazed everyone: "The life of a horse and a man on Anichkov," the newspapers wrote, "represents a new world in art. Like a vodnik besieging a horse, the sculptor Pyotr Klodt took part of this art in his hands and turned from the wrong road to the real one. "
The tsar summoned Klodt to him and said: he wants to glorify his creations all over the world. And for this he donates the already cast sculptures to the Prussian king Frederick William IV, who is crazy about them. Peter had to go to Berlin with a gift.
Yevgeny Klodt: Here, by the way, one of the most amazing features of Pyotr Karlovich became clear, which became a characteristic feature of our dynasty: a descendant of foreigners, he was so Russian in spirit, habits, predilections that, being in Germany, he terribly yearned for his homeland. However, Klodt's "suffering" was rewarded: Friedrich Wilhelm awarded him the Order of the Red Eagle and a diamond snuffbox.
In the same year, he cast The Tamers again. But already another guest of Nicholas I, the king of both Sicilies Ferdinand II, seeing the divine horses of Klodt, wished to see them every day in Naples. And having received them, he awarded Klodt with the Order of Naples. After that, European newspapers reported: "There are three miracles in Naples today: the body of the Savior taken from the Cross, covered with a transparent marble veil," The Descent of the Savior from the Cross "- a painting by Espagnoletta, and the bronze horses of the Russian Baron Klodt". Berlin, Paris, Rome awarded Peter Klodt with the title of honorary member of their Academies.
Instead of an epilogue
"Tamers" on Anichkovoye became Klodt's swan song, sung by the sculptor at the forty-fifth year of his life, in the prime of his creative powers. Composing his best creation, he at the same time participates in the decoration of the interiors of St. Isaac's Cathedral - his gorelf "Christ in Glory" decorated the frieze over the Altar Gates. Creates a giant bas-relief for the Marble Palace, depicting hunting and road paintings on it. In 1849, a year before the complete completion of the epic on Anichkov, he won the competition for a monument to the Russian fabulist Ivan Andreevich Krylov. And already in 1852 he casts and seats his "grandfather" in the Summer Garden - with an open book in his hands, with a sadly pensive face, surrounded by a whole menagerie of fable heroes.
The range of the sculptor during these years is striking: from an intimate "home" monument to Krylov in St. Petersburg to a truly universal statue of St. Vladimir in Kiev. Then Klodt proceeds to the last of his great works - the monument to Nicholas I. This accomplishment is both grandiose and symbolic. Peter Karlovich outlived his tsar by 12 years. But, in essence, his entire creative life was spent under the emperor, under his patronage. Who, if not him, was destined to leave the memory of the emperor? Probably everyone understood this. Including Montferrand - the creator of the Pillar of Alexandria, to whom Alexander II entrusted the construction of a monument to his father. The architect did not hesitate to suggest that Peter Klodt mold and cast an equestrian statue of the tsar.
Once upon a time, a young "toy-maker" Pyotr Klodt carved out a horse guard for Nicholas, surprisingly similar to the tsar. Thirty years later, becoming the first sculptor of Russia, he put a bronze Horse Guardsman on a pedestal ... his father. Then, turning to Klodt, he silently extended his hand to him. The horse under the bronze king was torn at a gallop. It seemed that another moment - and the huge horseman would leave for the sky.
There are countless treasures of art in St. Petersburg: the genius of Rossi Street, the magnificent Winter Palace of Rastrelli, the grandiose Isaac of Montferrand ... And yet the one who said: "There is no St. Petersburg without Klodt horses is right!"
