Figure cast in bronze 8. Feat cast in bronze

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Introduction

A lot of words have been said about the role of Kuzbass in the Great Patriotic War, hundreds of books, fiction and documentary, have been written. Kuzbass helped the front not only with its coal and metal, but also with its main resource – human resources. Thousands of our fellow countrymen stood up to defend the Motherland. Their military deeds embodied the steadfastness and courage of the entire Russian people.

It is no coincidence that Siberian units were always sent to critical sectors of the front. Wherever the Siberians from Kuzbass fought, they showed heroism, remained patriots to the end, and did not lose their dignity and humanity. The feat of one of our fellow countrymen is immortalized in bronze. One of the symbols of the Tyazhinsky district, which is located in the north of the Kemerovo region, on the border with the Krasnoyarsk Territory, is the image of the monument to the Soviet liberator soldier installed in Treptow Park.

A copy of the Berlin monument crowns the memorial complex on Victory Square in Tyazhin (Appendix 1).

This image can be seen on a banner at the entrance to the village of Tyazhinsky with the inscription: “The pride of the Tyazhinsky district is Nikolay Ivanovich Masalov - a legendary man” (Appendix 2).

In the name of N.I. Masalov named the Tyazhinskaya Central District Library. The local history museum has an exhibition dedicated to this man. Residents of the area know that N.I. Masalov, during the battles in Berlin, carried a German girl from under fire and became the prototype for the monument in Treptow Park. Therefore, the purpose of the work is to establish the reality of the historical basis of the legend about the Kuzbass soldier who carried a German girl out from under fire.

Feat of a soldier

The advanced units of the Soviet troops reached Berlin in April 1945. At this time, the 220th Guards Rifle Regiment, in which Sergeant N.I. Masalov served as standard bearer, began an offensive along the right bank of the Spree River. More than twenty thousand Soviet soldiers died during the storming of Berlin. Under the old plaques of mass graves and under the mound of the main monument of the memorial in Treptow Park, more than five thousand soldiers rest.

These soldiers saw with their own eyes the suffering of Berlin civilians. It's no secret that in any war, children are the first to suffer. Longing for their children, Russian soldiers could not calmly look at the suffering of German children. So, the children approached the soldiers and held out empty cans or simply their thin palms. And the Russian soldiers shoved bread, lumps of sugar into these hands, or simply sat them down at their soldier’s bowler hat, shedding tears from their eyes. When Russian troops were preparing to attack, during one of the street battles, Nikolai saw a little German girl sitting under a bridge and quietly crying. Her mother lay nearby.

She was killed. Nikolai Ivanovich heard the child’s cry before others and rushed to save the girl. The area in front of the bridge was under fire. Sergeant Masalov crawled, feeling every crack with his hands, pressing against the asphalt (the area was mined). A Russian soldier picked up a German child. Noticing this, the Germans opened fierce fire on their silhouette. Despite the machine gun fire, Nikolai Ivanovich managed to get up and, covering the girl from the bullets with one hand, and with the other, holding the machine gun, run back. It was at this moment that the dazzling disk of the sun rose above the earth. Its rays seemed to strike the enemy trenches, blinding the shooters for some time. At the same time, Russian cannons struck and the attack began. From the outside it seemed that the entire front was saluting the feat of our fellow countryman.

Monument to the Soviet soldier-liberator

After this event, a few days later, the sculptor E.V. Vuchetich came to the regiment and immediately found Nikolai Ivanovich Masalov. The sculptor made several sketches of the sergeant, said goodbye, and left. It’s unlikely that Nikolai Ivanovich could have guessed why exactly the sculptor needed him? However, it was not by chance that Vuchetich drew attention to the Siberian warrior. He was fulfilling an assignment from a front-line newspaper - the sculptor was looking for a type for a poster dedicated to the Victory of the Soviet people in the Patriotic War. The sketches and sketches that Vuchetich made in the regiment were useful to him later, when he began work on the project of the famous ensemble - a monument located in Treptow Park.

It happened like this. Kliment Efremovich Voroshilov, after the Potsdam Conference of the Heads of the Allied Powers, in the fall of 1945, summoned Vuchetich to his place and invited him to begin preparing a sculptural ensemble - a monument that would be dedicated to the Victory of the Soviet people over Nazi Germany. According to the original plan, it was supposed to place the majestic figure of Stalin in bronze, with an image of Europe or a globe hemisphere in his hands, in the center of the composition. From the memoirs of the sculptor himself: “Many artists and sculptors looked at the main figure of the ensemble.

They praised and admired the work. But I felt some dissatisfaction with the completed result. And I made a choice - I need to find another solution. I immediately began to remember the Soviet soldiers who carried German children out of the fire zone during the storming of Berlin. Later, I returned to Berlin again. I managed to take several hundred photographs, and most importantly, sketches. I also managed to visit Soviet soldiers and was introduced to the heroes several times. It was on the last trip that a new decision matured: the monument should depict a soldier with a child on his chest.

Then, he sculpted a figure of a meter-tall warrior. There’s a fascist swastika underfoot, there’s a machine gun in his right hand, and his left hand is holding a three-year-old girl.” Next, under the light of the Kremlin chandeliers, it was time to demonstrate both projects. Moreover, the first version of the monument is a monument to the leader. - Listen, Vuchetich, aren’t you tired of this guy with a mustache? – asked Joseph Vissarionovich. Stalin pointed the mouthpiece of his pipe towards the one and a half meter figure. “This is still a sketch,” someone tried to intercede. “The author was shell-shocked, but not without language,” Stalin said abruptly and fixed his gaze on the second sculpture. - And what's that? Vuchetich hastened to remove the parchment from the soldier’s figure. Joseph Vissarionovich examined him from all sides, smiled sparingly and said: “We will place this soldier in the center of Berlin, on a high burial hill... Just you know, Vuchetich, the machine gun in the soldier’s hand must be replaced with something else.”

Nowadays, a machine gun is a utilitarian item. The monument will stand for centuries. Let him hold something more symbolic. Well, let's say a sword. Weighty, solid. With this sword, the soldier cut the fascist swastika. The sword has already been lowered, but woe will be the one who forces the hero to raise this sword again. Do you agree!? That’s how, with Stalin’s consent, the construction of a monument began in Berlin, which depicted not himself, but a Soviet soldier with a child. Completing the project was considered a task of utmost importance. A special construction department was even created. By the end of 1946, 39 competitive projects had been collected. Before their consideration, Vuchetich came to Berlin. The idea of ​​the monument completely captured the imagination of the sculptor... Work on the construction of the monument to the warrior-liberator began in 1947 and lasted more than three years. More than 7 thousand specialists were involved. The memorial occupies a huge area - 280 thousand square meters. Ferrous and non-ferrous metals, thousands of cubic meters of granite and marble - the request for materials puzzled even Moscow.

An extremely difficult situation was developing. However, an interesting incident helped the matter. From the memoirs of the Honored Builder of the RSFSR, G. Kravtsov: “An exhausted German, a former prisoner of the Gestapo, came to me. He saw how our soldiers were choosing pieces of marble from the ruins of buildings, and hastened with a joyful statement: he knew a secret granite warehouse 100 kilometers from Berlin, on the banks of the Oder. He himself unloaded the stone and miraculously escaped execution... And these piles of marble, it turns out, on Hitler’s instructions, were stored for the construction of a monument to the victory over the Soviet Union. That's how it happened. But you can’t fool history!” The pedestal of this ominous monument was supposed to represent a colossal structure 300 meters long and wide. On it there is a dome hall 220 meters high. The total cubic capacity of this structure was supposed to be 20 million cubic meters. At the top of the dome is a huge eagle, its claws sunk into the globe it grips. The domed hall was planned to accommodate 180 thousand people, to whom the Fuhrer could not wait to make a victory speech. Everything was ready for the monument. Only one thing was missing - victory. But Victory came, Victory of the Russian people. It did not come on its own; it was won in fierce battles by warriors with red stars on their caps. And the prepared granite was used for a different purpose - a grandiose monument to the Soviet soldier - liberator was erected from it in Treptow Park

Hero's life path

Nikolai Masalov was born into a peasant family in the Tisulsky district (Voznesenka village). After graduating from the 3rd grade of a local school, he went to work on a collective farm, since in the period before the 6th grade he was very sick - the result of unsuccessful fishing on the first ice (Masalov fell through the ice). And when he recovered, he fell far behind his peers. He flatly refused to go to school with his younger brothers. Working conscientiously on the collective farm, he completed a six-month tractor driver course and again continued to work in his native village.
Nikolai Masalov, at the age of seventeen, was called up to the front. In the ranks of the Red Army he received the specialty of a mortar operator. Having received baptism of fire in March 1942 on the Bryansk front, near Kastornaya, he was redeployed to new places: Yelets, Orel, Kursk. His regiment had to break out of encirclement several times, and often used bayonets - they took care of every cartridge.

Later, the regiment was reorganized, and it became part of the army of General Chuikov, which heroically defended Stalingrad. For the defense of the hero city, the regiment received the guards banner, and Nikolai Ivanovich Masalov received the position of assistant in the banner platoon.
During the years in the war, Nikolai Masalov received three wounds and two shell shocks, and after the victorious assault on the Seelow Heights in 1945, he was nominated for the Order of Glory, 3rd degree (Appendix 5).

Masalov returned to his native village immediately after demobilization. But due to the battle wounds he received, he was unable to work as a tractor driver. For a long time he worked as the head of the economic department in the Tyazhinsky kindergarten.

Nikolai Ivanovich gained fame in the mid-60s. Not only central Soviet newspapers and magazines, but also foreign media wrote about him (Appendix 6). Later, Soviet and German filmmakers teamed up to shoot a film about him, and the full-length documentary “The Guy from the Legend” was released. In 1969, Nikolai Ivanovich Masalov was awarded the title of honorary resident of Berlin.

After wide fame and interest in his personality, Nikolai Ivanovich was a frequent visitor to schools, as well as a participant in organized meetings with pioneers (Appendix 8). However, the hero did not like to talk about his feat, because he believed that in his place every Soviet soldier would have acted in the same way. For this reason, during Masalov’s lifetime, no one could guess what unique materials the hero had accumulated: awards, photographs, books, albums and certificates, letters and postcards, newspaper clippings and magazines (Appendices 5,6,7).

Only after the death of Nikolai Ivanovich (December 20, 2001), his daughter, Valentina, transferred the priceless heritage to the village administration of the Tyazhinsky district. The materials obtained were used to write the book “The Man from the Legend.”

Reliability of Lenenda

History knows that during the war days, Russian soldiers, without sparing their own lives, saved German children. The writer and war correspondent Boris Polevoy managed to conduct a final interview in the hospital with a soldier who also saved the child, just like Masalov, Trifon Lukyanovich from Minsk. He heard the cry of a child, as Tryphon recalled - the paternal instinct worked. After all, in the first days of the war, Tryphon’s house was covered by a bomb, burying his two children and his wife. Passing the German child over the parapet of the embankment, Tryfon stood up to his full height, shielding the child from bullets. And he himself died from his wounds. These soldiers did not save other people's children for the sake of glory. This was required by the sense of humanity that every Russian soldier retained.

Just like Trifon Lukyanovich, Nikolai Ivanovich Masalov also did not consider saving the German girl a feat.
The feat was first mentioned in the memoirs of Marshal of the Soviet Union, V.I. Chuikov, “The End of the Third Reich” and became public domain.
From the memoirs of Masalov himself, I will give a reliable picture of the events: how it all happened. Under the bridge, Sergeant Masalov noticed a three-year-old girl, and her murdered mother was lying nearby. The baby had blond hair that was slightly curly at the forehead. She kept tugging at her mother by the belt of her dress and screaming, crying: “Mutter, mutter!” The Russian soldier had no time to think. Taking the girl “in his arms,” Nikolai Ivanovich hurried back to his people. The only desire, as Masalov emphasized, was that the girl would not cry. But how she will scream! Hearing the voice, the Nazis opened fire, fortunately ours “helped” - they began to fire from all guns. “When I crossed the neutral zone, I immediately went into the first house I came across to hand the child over to civilians, but it was empty - there was no one there.

Therefore, he went straight to his headquarters. I remember my comrades, surrounding me, laughed: “What kind of language have you captured, and some of the biscuits, some of them shove sugar into the girl, are trying to calm her down with jokes.” Having passed it from hand to hand to the captain, he returned to the banner.”
From the memoirs of I. Paderin, commissar of the 220th regiment: “Yes, I confirm Masalov’s sortie. So our Nikolai Ivanovich, who enjoyed great authority among our guys in the regiment, disappeared. I was afraid of the start of a spontaneous attack, because any attack is extra blood, which no one needed, especially at the end of the war. I was left with the impression that Masalov seemed to sense our anxiety. Suddenly we heard his voice: “I’m with a child, a machine gun on the right - a house with balconies, shut his throat.” Immediately, the regiment opened fierce fire on the enemy, without any command. The tension was very high. Masalov managed to get out with the girl, under the cover of this fire. Later, we found out that Nikolai was wounded in the leg, but he didn’t show it...”

From the memoirs of Ivan Stepanovich Odarchenko, the man who served as a sitter during the sculptor’s work: “After the end of the war, I continued to serve in the military commandant’s office of Weisnesee. For a year and a half, he carried out a very interesting, but very unusual assignment for an ordinary soldier - he posed for the creation of a monument - a monument in Treptow Park. As close friends of the sculptor told me, Professor Vuchetich could not find a sitter for a very long time. Our acquaintance happened by chance; at one of the sporting events I was introduced to Vuchetich. And a month after my candidacy was approved, I was sent for posing.”

An interesting story happened when choosing a girl to pose. It was decided to look for a German child, as was actually the case. But later, Vuchetich decided that the warrior-liberator should have our Soviet girl in his arms. Since Soviet soldiers first of all saved their wives and children, and only then everyone else. However, in war there is no difference between stranger and friend when it comes to the life of a young child. Therefore, the 3-year-old daughter of the commandant of Berlin, General Kotikov, Svetlana, became the model for the monument. In one hand, Ivan held a girl, and in the other, he had a two-pound sword - a weighty, two-pound symbol of the Great Victory, as Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin had proposed.

Conclusion

Nikolay Ivanovich Masalov- a Kuzbass warrior who, during the storming of Berlin, risking his life, carried a German girl out from under fire. This feat of a Siberian soldier served as a prototype for the creation of a monument to the Soviet soldier - liberator in Berlin's Treptow Park. The reliability of this fact is confirmed by the memoirs of Marshal of the Soviet Union V.I. Chuikov and the stories of the soldier’s fellow soldiers who became eyewitnesses.

The memory of the hero lives to this day. In April 2004, the central regional library was named after N.I. Masalov (Appendix 3). On the initiative of the Council of Elders, shows and competitions dedicated to the legendary soldier were held in schools in the Tyazhinsky district. In December 2004, the first pioneer squad in the region named after the hero - fellow countryman N. I. Masalov was created at the Novovostochny secondary school.

The pioneers were presented with a banner with an embroidered motto: “For the Motherland, Goodness and Justice!” The guys have already collected a lot of material about N.I. Masalov, decorated the pioneer room and squad corners. In April 2005, the heads of Tyazhin enterprises and organizations, members of the board of the district administration and the Council of Elders, and representatives of the veteran activists held lessons - requiems: “Let us remember, let us bow to those years.” In each of the two hundred classes, the lesson began with the story of the exploit of Nikolai Masalov. In 2005, the Kemerovo publishing house Kuzbassvuzizdat published Oleg Kostyunin’s book “The Man from the Legend,” which tells about the life of N. I. Masalov.


Collection of sculptures by V.S. Khrapovitsky from the Muromtsevo estate in the collection of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve

CATALOG
Vladimir
2007

A significant part of the art collection from the Muromtsevo estate (more than 40 exhibits) consists of bronze, marble and alabaster sculpture. Two inventories of Muromtsevo for 1920 from the regional archive provide us only with information about the number of sculptures (30 marble and 19 metal). The surviving old museum inventories: Nos. 6 and 7 without a date and two inventories for 1925 list items received in 1920 and 1925, on a visual basis, often without names and without attribution. It is obvious that all selected exhibits have been largely preserved. Old museum documents reflect only three losses. A life-size marble female figure from the castle lobby was broken on December 22, 1926, an alabaster figurine of a half-naked woman was stolen during transportation, and the terracotta head was broken.
Single works of bronze sculpture were later acquired by the museum from private individuals. Their affiliation with the collection of V.S. Khrapovitsky was argued by the legend of origin.
In 1978, a cast iron paper press arrived, which, according to legend, ended up in one of the Muromtsev families back in the 1880s. from Voronov P.L., who worked as a land surveyor on the estate. Bronze vase from the 19th century. with stylized images of ancient Greek gods was discovered in 1980 in the garage of a forestry technical school located in a former manor castle.
The only surviving bronze sculpture by a Russian master came to the museum from a school in the city of Sudogda, where, according to legend, it came from the estate of Khrapovitsky. Cast iron figurine “Ermak” 1903 by sculptor P.P. Zabello was cast at the Kasli plant with the participation of molder A. Bykov. This is evidenced by the company mark and inscription inside the pedestal. An earlier version of this work is known, also cast in Kasly and stored in the State Russian Museum. Academician of sculpture Parmen Petrovich Zabello (1830 – 1917) spent almost 20 years in Italy (Florence and Rome), then returned to St. Petersburg. He worked mainly as a portrait painter in the typical sculpture of the second half of the 19th century. manner. He created numerous sculptural portraits of Russian emperors, artists, literary characters and representatives of the nobility. A significant number of works are in various museum collections.
The “Ermak” figurine belongs to a small group of works by the author, made for reproduction at a well-known art casting factory in Russia. All other works of chamber music from the collection of V.S. Khrapovitsky, made using the technique of artistic casting, are related to the French school and French production. As is known, the owner of the Muromtsevo estate repeatedly traveled to France3, where he could personally purchase replicated works by French artists, although specific documents confirming this fact have not yet been found.
During the study, marks and signatures on the corresponding works were identified and the workshops in which they were cast were identified. Three- and four-digit numbering found on many works indicates that most of the monuments discussed were included in manufacturers’ catalogs under these numbers.
The works of the French sculptor Charles-Octave Lévy (d. 1899) “Mower” and “Miner” were cast in the workshop of the Paris Salon of Fine Arts. On the seal are the initials of the master who guarantees the production of the products. The author's works from the same series were published in the American catalog of Harold Berman, dedicated to bronze sculpture and foundries 1800 - 1930. In the works of our collection, the signature of the author's name is duplicated in the name of the works and the indicated salon (“Faucheur par. CH.LEVY Salon des Beaux-Arts”, “Mineur par. CH.LEVY Salon des Beaux-Arts”).
Four works made in the Parisian bronze workshop “Jollette and Colin and Sons” are distinguished by their high quality of execution.
After being awarded the second prize at the Paris Salon in 1887, the work “The Improviser” by Felix-Maurice Charpentier (1858 – 1924) was purchased for the Luxembourg Museum. The well-known company Colin and Sons, founded in 1830, received the right to cast this work and placed it in its catalog until 1924. This copy is distinguished by the excellent quality of the print, the engraved and tinted signature of the author, as well as the presence of a brand name inside the pedestal .
The circle of monuments of the romantic direction, filled with allegorical meaning, includes the works of two sculptors. On the plate in the cartouche there is a signature of the title of the composition by Émile-Henre Boisseau (1842 - 1923) “Youth between love and friendship.”
The half-naked figure of the young beauty personifies the image of youth, the dog - friendship, cupid - love.
One of the masters of Romantic bronze, Émile-Louis Picoult (1839-?) has recently become one of the most famous and widely collected French sculptors.
Over almost 50 years of creativity, Picoult created a huge number of busts and memorial monuments. More often he was attracted to male images: blacksmiths, warriors, fighters, knights. As a rule, he accompanied his works with exciting inscriptions drawn from Latin. His composition “Dragonfly” from the VSMZ collection is a kind of allegorical paraphrase on the theme of the fable of the same name by Jean La Fontaine, known to everyone from the text by Krylov. The vertical background of the composition depicts a tree bent by a gust of wind. The bent, as if very frozen, beauty awkwardly holds a mandolin in her hand, her face aloof. The depicted plot refers, through allegorical means characteristic of the era of romanticism, to the familiar text of a literary work.
Two works from the collection were awarded medals from Mademoiselle Doré's 1900 exhibition. Two characters in the multi-figure composition “Defense of the Banner” by Aristide-Onésime Croisy (1840 – 1899) coincide with the figures in the miniature of the “Invasion” monument of 1873, published in the American catalogue. The soldier holding the banner in the center of the composition in the version of our work is more dynamic and takes a wide step forward. The left bent figure of an elderly soldier with a rifle in his hands is also repeated. Croisy gained popularity during and after the Alsace–Lorraine conflict of 1870–1871. He became the author of patriotic monuments in Orleans, Loire and other cities of France.
Vladimir Semenovich Khrapovitsky was in Paris in 1900, from where, apparently, the second work, marked with the seal of the Doré Salon, was brought. This is Charles Walton's composition "Don't Come Close" from 1900. Walton (1851 - 1918) was one of the most famous and consistent students of Antoine Louis Bari and belonged to the circle of animal sculptors.
Just like the teacher, Walton looked at the surrounding reality through the prism of dramatic perception characteristic of all romantics. The animal world for him is, first of all, the world of wild nature, living according to its own laws. The name is placed as a warning on the sign. In the very pose of the dog, in its aggressive stance, the author managed to convey the expression of the animal’s movement.
Charles Walton's composition “Bull and Dog” depicts a scene of animal fights. This work was cast in the Parisian workshop of Decauville, as well as two other works by the author from our collection. His compositions “Plowman with a Horse” and “Woman with Sheep” reflect everyday scenes from the life of the simple peasantry. The realistic approach to nature, characteristic of the French Barbizon artists and reflected in plastic, was close to the author in the same way as the deliberate beauty and decorativeness characteristic of salon art of the second half of the 19th century.
Among the works that fit into the circle of works by salon realist artists is a composition by Antonin Laroux (1859 - 1913), also cast in the Decauville workshop. Published version of the author's work in the American catalog (“Feeding time”) “Feeding time” 1907. All works, except for the mark of the Decauville bronze workshop, are marked with three-digit numbers of the price list catalogues.
Known at the end of the 19th century. French artist Alfred Boucher (1850 – 1934) is the author of the published work (“Cultivatrice”) “Peasant Woman” in 1890. The work’s belonging to the work of this master is also confirmed by the author’s signature. There is no maker's mark on the work, but there is a three-digit price list number. Stylistically, this composition fits into the range of works of a semi-academic and semi-realistic direction, characteristic of the artist. Boucher was repeatedly awarded at the Paris Salons, and was also awarded the Grand Prix at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris, after which, as is known, he bought several exhibition pavilions and opened a cheap hostel “Beehive” for poor foreign artists, including and from Russia.
The older generation of French artists includes Pierre-Eugene-Emile Hébert (1828 – 1893). Born into the family of the sculptor Pierre Hébert, he studied with his father for a long time, worked with him and was known as the author of monuments and architectural details of public buildings in Paris. The period of his active and very successful participation as an exhibitor at the Paris Salons dates back to 1859 - 1863. In the collection of V.S. Khrapovitsky’s signature is marked by the composition “Boxers”, which dynamically conveys the moment of the struggle of two athletes.
The small figurine “Dog on a Leash” is related to the work of the famous French animal painter Pierre-Jules Maine (1810 – 1879). Being a realistic sculptor, P.-J. In my works, I strove to accurately and truthfully reproduce the appearance of the animal, to capture it in an everyday and familiar environment.
The heroes of Men's works are domestic animals living next to humans. The artist’s desire to capture animals in their natural environment was, as a rule, reflected in the design of the pedestal. Stones, bushes, grass, and fragments of a fence were indispensable components of his sculptural groups.
Since 1838 he has been a participant in the Paris Salons. Mena's art has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Legion of Honor. His models were widely copied in bronze and cast iron in Germany and Russia.
The most famous French artist from the series under study is the Parisian sculptor Louis-Auguste Moreau (1855 – 1919). A student of Miletus, Dumont, Thomas and Mathurin, Moreau the master is known as a participant in the Paris Salons, winner of a third class medal in 1877 and a bronze medal at the International Exhibition in 1900.
Currently, the works of this artist are very fashionable; they are widely reproduced in bronze as copies of antiques, as well as as bronze products for utilitarian purposes, transforming, for example, into lighting fixtures. They accurately copy the sculptural figure to which the lamp is mounted. In this collection his work is “Water Bearer”.
The work of the same master, previously considered the work of an unknown artist, in the collection is the sculptural composition “Girl and Boy”. The signature of the author, placed on the pedestals, is made in different ways. In one case it is volumetrically convex, in the other it is punched deep into the material. Both works are very dynamic and convey the mood of the characters. The figurine of a small water-carrier is tense under the weight of a heavy jug. There is a feeling of a clearly unbearable burden. The boy doesn’t even notice that the jug is broken and water is flowing out of the hole. The children's figures seemed to freeze for a second after a tiring run. The details of the girl’s straw hat, decorated with a bouquet of flowers, are beautifully worked out; the folds of the seemingly transparent clothes fit the figures. Both compositions are equally balanced by the protruding stumps in the background of the pedestals.
The work of the French master Vincent “Girl in an openwork bonnet” is distinguished by its masterly elaboration of details. In the Tim and Becker dictionary, Charles Vincent (1862 - 1918) is mentioned as a student of Falguiller and Mercy, who worked in Rouen and as a famous genre sculptor, exhibitor at the Salon in 1905. Judging by the entries in the old inventory books, the sculpture was previously installed on a round pedestal made of pink marble, which certainly made it more decorative and emphasized the fragile transparent carving of the hood and the lace elements of the model’s dress in contrasting colors.
But if among the bronze monuments from the collection of V.S. Khrapovitsky we find mainly works of French masters, then among alabaster and marble - mainly works of Italian sculptors. Rome until the end of the 19th century. remained the main city in the process of unifying the sculptural European artistic language. New trends and trends arose here. At the turn of the century, interest among the public and artists in genre subjects and portraits increased. Italian types became decisive.
And one of the most interesting themes of the everyday genre - the theme of childhood and youth, was still associated exclusively with academic traditions. In a sculptural portrait, on the contrary, the representativeness characteristic of a commissioned portrait of the 18th century gives way to new stylistic techniques. New models appear, abstract, cheerful or elegiac-sad characters, often young, blossoming female images.
Italian sculptor Giuseppe Gambogi was inspired by Renaissance imagery. He was part of the vibrant community of sculptors in early 20th-century Florence who produced high-quality decorative marble sculptures for a regular, multinational clientele. The master's works brought him world fame.
"The Girl in the Feathered Bonnet" has amazing detail. The girl has an intricate hat on her head, and high mittens on her hands, conveying the texture of openwork fabric. The lace and feathers on the hat are also detailed. Coquettishly holding the ties of her hat with her fingers, the girl smiles coyly.
The artist did not remain aloof from the most popular and fashionable scenes of children's reading. One of the girls in his sculptural composition (“Girls”) runs her finger through the alphabet in the primer, the second looks into the book over her shoulder.
V. Pokini’s children’s busts “Girl with a Nest” and “Girl with a Book” are the same size, on identical pedestals, most likely, they were ordered as pairs. One of the girls is immersed in reading, the other no less carefully examines the nest with chicks, holding it in her hands. The author's signature on the works is almost identical.
A simple genre sketch by Tuscan sculptor Luchini, “Girl with a Dog,” captures a moment of children’s play. The stool on which the child sits is decorated with simple ornaments. The figure of a dog resting its front paws on a stool balances the composition. The author’s signature, as in Pokini’s works, is volumetric and convex. The plot of children communicating with animals and, in particular, with dogs was a favorite and very often found on the art market.
The most popular scenes from the life of children for sculpture during this period were various games, careful examination of objects, allowing children to explore the world around them. Such is the “Girl with a Chick” by the Florentine sculptor Biagiotti, as well as the child’s half-figure by Aristide de Ranieri. The latter’s work is called “Girl with a Ribbon on Her Head.” But if you restore the missing but preserved details of the hands, the plot of the composition becomes clear. The girl tells fortunes using a chamomile, which she holds in her left hand, and tears off the petals with her right hand. One of the petals fell and stuck to her dress, decorated with a flower garland.
Three works by unknown authors, plot-wise and stylistically, are typical examples of products produced by the Italian sculpture workshop Volterra in the province of Tuscany. This workshop specialized in replicating figurines of children reading books or alphabet books. Compositionally, they are solved in the same way. Children sit on a chair, pedestal and bench. The position is very comfortable. The right leg is crossed over the left. There is a book placed on it, which each child carefully examines.
Ideal female beauty has always attracted the attention of artists. It is often associated with various symbols of purity and innocence. The female bust by A. de Ranieri with an image of an iris on the chest is more correct, according to the typology with similar works, to be called “Iris” and not “Female Head”, as before.
The symbolism of the iris is associated with the Greek goddess of the rainbow and was considered an emblem of the Virgin Mary's sorrow. Often this flower was called the “saber lily”; it was the iris that was originally a heraldic flower, and only later was it replaced by the lily.
The title of another work by A. de Ranieri, once determined solely on a visual basis, is recorded in documents as “Bust of a woman, with flowers in her hair and on her chest, in front.”
In fact, the name is given on the model's pedestal. "Candeur" means "Purity". Symbolically, the name is supported by the image of a lily. In classical mythology, the lily as a symbol of purity goes back to the image of milk flowing from the breast of Hera, the wife of Zeus; Christians believed that the lily sprouted from the tears of Eve when she left heaven. It is also the emblem of the Virgin Mary, who also had the name Madonna of the Lily; also a symbol of the Trinity and three virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity. The azure tinted irises of Ranieri's models, the light tinting of green and blue flower stems and leaves, and the models' golden hairstyles add an additional decorative touch to these allegorical female images. Ranieri, who was awarded an award at the Paris Salon in 1899, is also known as the author of works reproduced in bronze.
Another brilliant example of the Liberty style is a woman’s head decorated with pansies (“Girl with Flowers in Her Hair”). On the pedestal of the work there is a monogram “D. Z.”, which presumably may correspond to the signature of the famous sculptor from Florence Dante Zoe. In French these flowers are called “pansé”, which means “thought”. The symbolism of pansy flowers meant reflection, meditation. Literally translated into the language of flowers, pansies are a call: “think about me” or a clear declaration of love without words. The model’s eyelids are closed, but the girl is not sleeping, but seems to be detachedly focused and immersed in her own thoughts.
All of the above works by Italian sculptors were created at the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries. It is also obvious that all the works were purchased in the province of Tuscany, the center of which was Florence. Tuscan craftsmen used only local white Italian marble, which was mined in the foothills of the Apuan Alps in the deposits of Carrara, Messa, Seravezza and Monte Altisimo.
Conducting a special microscopic and microchemical study of material samples by I.V. Kurnikova, a researcher at the restoration department. made it possible to establish that out of 18 sculptures, only 5 were made of marble, and all the rest were made of alabaster. Of course, both of them are either original works of authorship or works produced under the control of the master by his students, and in this regard represent unconditional artistic interest.
And in France, and especially in Italy, there were not even dozens, but hundreds of workshops for the production of such works. Not all authors of this period are currently in the sphere of scientific interest of researchers. With the exception of Moreau, Vincent and Ranieri, all other listed authors are not mentioned in well-known German and French encyclopedic publications. None of these authors is listed in the latest Dictionary of Italian Sculptors of the Late 19th - Beginning. XX century." 1999 by Italian researcher Alfonso Panzetta. The authors of this circle are currently in the sphere of interests of the foreign antique market.
Almost all works in this collection are examples of the so-called. cabinet sculpture, i.e. works of chamber plasticity. They decorated the interiors of individual rooms of the castle and, as a rule, equipped with small elegant pedestals, were installed on furniture or on special wooden and stone stands. Being a man of his time, V.S. Khrapovitsky ordered exactly those works of art that were in fashion at the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries. The castle he built at the turn of the century was itself an elaborate stylization, oriented towards the Western architectural tradition. That is why the owner of the estate purchased French bronze, popular at that time, for the interiors of the manor house, and marble and alabaster sculptures from Italian masters.

CATALOG

Boisseau Emile-Henre
Boisseau Emile-Andre (1842 - 1923)

French school. Participant of the Paris Salons (until 1909).

1. Youth between love and friendship. End of the 19th century
Multi-figure composition. Bronze. Casting. 40.5x18.5x12.2
On the right, on the side of the pedestal is the author’s signature: E Boisseau.
On the front side of the pedestal there is a cartouche-shaped plate attached with rivets with the inscription: LA JEUNESSE ENTRE L'AMOUR ET L'AMITIE (Youth between love and friendship).
Description: In the center of the composition is the figure of a naked woman, full-length, with light drapery on the hips, wide folds descending from behind. The head is turned three-quarters to the right shoulder, the gaze is directed downward. The hair is pulled up and the hairstyle is decorated with flowers. The right arm, bent at the elbow, is pressed to the body. The left hand, which Cupid is holding, is lowered down. The woman leans on her right leg, the left is set aside and bent at the knee. At the right leg there is a dog with its muzzle raised up. A monolithic base is part of a composition in the form of a small mound of earth with vegetation, which at the bottom turns into a low slab of irregular shape, hollow inside.

Boucher Alfred
Boucher Alfred (1850 - 1934)

French school. Born in Nagents on the Seine. Student of A. Dumont and P. Dubois. He made his debut at exhibitions in 1874. Repeated winner of the Paris Salons, winner of the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris (1900). Author of sculptural and monumental compositions.

2. Peasant woman. End of the 19th century
Figure. Bronze. Casting, finishing. 58.5x25.5x21
In front, on the upper surface of the pedestal - the signature of the author: A.BOUCHER
Description: The figure of a standing woman, full-length, head slightly tilted towards the left shoulder, torso slightly turned to the right. The right leg is extended slightly forward and to the side, the left hand rests on the thigh, the right hand is bent at the elbow, the palm clenched into a fist is at the head, the right shoulder rests on the handle of a two-pronged fork. The arms and upper chest are bare. Dressed in a long skirt with wide, loose pleats and a tight-fitting blouse. On the head there is a scarf tied under the chin. Monolithic pedestal - a low cylindrical slab.

Walton Charles
Valton Charle (1851 - 1918)

French school. Animal sculptor. Student A.L. Bari and E. Fremier. Participant of the Paris Salons since 1868. Awarded gold medals in Paris (1889, 1900). Knight of the Badge of the Legion of Honor (1906).

3. Bull and dog. End of the 19th century
Composition. Bronze. Casting, finishing. 24x39.5x19.5, pedestal - 16.5x39
On the upper plane of the pedestal (next to the right hind leg of the bull) is the author's signature: CH. VALTON
Description: The composition depicts a fight between animals. The figure of a standing bull with its head lowered down in a sharp turn, one of the horns aimed at the dog, the left front leg raised. To his left is the figure of a dog with its muzzle raised upward. The monolithic base - part of the composition in the form of a convex surface of the earth, overgrown with grass - turns into a profiled, oval pedestal, hollow inside.

4. Woman with sheep. End of the 19th century
Composition. Bronze. Casting, finishing. 37x21.5x21.5
On the left, on the side surface of the base (along the “ground”) – author’s signature: C.VALTON
Description: The figure of a walking barefoot woman, full-length, head in profile, slightly tilted to the right, down (looking at the sheep). With both hands he supports an armful of grass in his apron. She is depicted in a dress with a deep neckline, short sleeves, and a scarf tied around her head. On the right, near the woman, there are figures of two sheep, on the left - one, nibbling grass. The monolithic base - part of the composition in the form of a convex surface of the ground overgrown with grass - turns into a high profiled cylindrical pedestal, hollow inside.

5. Don't come close. 1900
Composition. Bronze. Casting. Pedestal 18x34
On the upper plane of the base (under the dog’s right front paw) there is the author’s signature: CH. VALTON. On a sign attached to a vertical post in the background is the title of the composition: PASSIZ AU LARGE (Don't come close).
Description: An image of a dog in a collar, tied with a chain to a chopped tree trunk, bound at the top with two clamps. A dog in a threatening pose with raised front paws and open mouth. The monolithic base - part of the composition in the form of a convex surface of the earth - turns into a low profiled cylindrical pedestal, hollow inside. On the upper plane of the base, grass and a stump are depicted in relief.

6. Plowman with horse. End of the 19th century
Composition. Bronze. Casting. 34.5x45x25.5
On the upper plane of the base (under the horse's left front leg) - author's signature: VALTON
Description: Composition depicting the work of a plowman. In the foreground, in the center, is a full-length figure of a man driving a horse that is pulling a harrow. With his right hand, the plowman holds the reins thrown over his shoulder, and with his left he holds it from behind. Depicted in a shirt with an open collar and high-rolled sleeves, trousers rolled up to the knees, and a flat hat with a wide brim. The monolithic base - part of the composition, in the form of a convex surface of the earth - turns into a low, almost oval pedestal, hollow inside. On the upper plane of the base, grass, flowers, and soil loosened by a harrow are depicted in relief.

Vincent Charles
Vincent Charles (1862 - 1918)

Italian school. Genre sculptor. Born in Rouen.

7. Girl in an openwork bonnet. Late XIX - early XX century.
Bust. Alabaster. Carving. 65x36x28
At the back, on the concave plane of the upper part of the base, there is the signature of the author: Vincent.
Description: The girl's head is in a three-quarter turn to the right shoulder. Curls of hair frame the face and are tied into a bun at the back of the neck. Depicted in a lush bonnet, with flowers and an ornamental pattern made in deep relief, “through” carving imitating lace. The long ribbons of the hood are tied with a bow on the chest. She is depicted in a low-necked dress decorated with bouquets of flowers on the chest. The arms and part of the back are cut off by concave planes that form the upper part of the pedestal. The lower part of the pedestal in the shape of a truncated tetrahedral pyramid is monolithically connected to the upper one.

Gambogi Giuseppe
Gambogi Guseppe (Late 19th - early 20th century)

Italian school. Florentine master, popular among international European customers of the early 20th century.

8. Girl in a bonnet with feathers. End of the 19th century
Bust. Alabaster. Carving. 76x40x28
At the back, on the concave plane of the pedestal, is the signature of the author: G. Gambogi.
Description: Almost half-length image of a girl, her head is slightly tilted towards the right shoulder and down, there is a smile on her face. On the head there is a hood trimmed with lace, from under which wavy curls are visible, framing the face and descending down the back in three strands. Her arms are bent at the elbows, and with her fingertips the girl supports the ribbons of her hood, tied in a bow under her chin. The hood is decorated with two ostrich feathers attached to the back with a bow. She is depicted in a dress with a thin cape, tied with a large bow on the chest, and on her hands - high openwork gloves-mittens. Part of the back is cut off by a concave plane. The pedestal is detachable, cylindrical, with two ring-shaped profiled bases.

9. Girls with the alphabet. End of the 19th century
Composition. Alabaster. Carving. 58x24x32.5
On the right on the plane of the stonework (second stone from the top) is the signature of the author: G. Gambogi.
Description: Two-figure composition. In the foreground, on a pedestal made of stones, is the figure of a sitting girl with an alphabet in her hands, her head bowed, her gaze fixed on an open book. The alphabet is placed on the knee of the thrown back right leg. The girl holds the book with her left hand and shows the letter with the fingers of her right hand. In the background is the figure of the second girl, standing tall, raised on her toes, hugging the seated woman’s shoulders with her arms and looking over her left shoulder into the book. The girls are dressed in light open shirts, the first has a medallion around her neck, the second has light lace along the neckline. The base is part of the composition in the form of a narrow strip of earth around a stone seat, turning into a low monolithic pedestal in the form of a quadrangular slab with beveled corners.

Zabello Parmen Petrovich. (1830 - 1917) The sculptor was born in the village. Monastery of Chernigov province, died in Lausanne. He studied at the Academy of Arts (since 1850) with P.K. Klodt. Received a small silver medal (1853), the title of non-class artist (1855). In 1854 - 1872 he lived in Italy (mainly in Florence and Rome), then in St. Petersburg. Participant of exhibitions of the Academy of Arts, TPHV, etc. (since 1852). Master of sculptural portraits, author of busts, bas-reliefs, monuments and tombstones. A number of figurines were cast in Kasly.

10. Ermak (? - 1585). 1903
Figure. Cast iron. Kasli casting. 46.5x22.5x17.3
In the left rear corner, on the upper plane of the pedestal, is the author’s signature: Zabella. On the front side of the pedestal is scratched: ERMAK; inside the pedestal there is a stamp: the coat of arms of Russia (in a circle).
Analogies: bronze - State Hermitage, Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus; cast iron – Bashkir Art Museum, Kiev Museum of Russian Art, Sverdlovsk Museum of Fine Arts, Smolensk Museum-Reserve.
Description: Male figure, full-length, head slightly turned towards the right shoulder and slightly tilted down. A face with a mustache and beard, forking downward. The right leg is extended forward and placed on the ledge. The right hand is placed behind the back, the left is bent at the elbow and set to the side. Depicted in chain mail over a caftan, wearing a helmet. The trousers are tucked into the boots. There is a sling over the right shoulder. Monolithic pedestal, hollow inside, in the form of an irregularly shaped slab with cut corners. On its upper surface, grass is depicted in flat relief.
Legend: According to legend, it comes from the estate of V.S. Khrapovitsky Muromtsevo Sudogodsky district.

Zoi Dante (?) Zoi Dante (Late XIX - early XX centuries)

11. Girl with flowers in her hair. End of the 19th century
Bust. Marble. Carving. 69x39x25
At the back, on the concave plane of the upper part of the pedestal, there is the author’s monogram: D.Z.
Description: The girl's head, in front, is slightly tilted down, her eyelids are closed, her hair is loose over her shoulders and back. On the right and left in the hair there are 2 pansy flowers. She is depicted in a low-necked dress, decorated diagonally on the chest with four round buttons. The shoulders and part of the back are cut off by concave planes connected to the upper part of the pedestal. The cut line of the bust in front hangs like a triangle over the pedestal. The lower part of the pedestal is detachable, in the shape of a truncated tetrahedral pyramid.

Croisy Aristide-Onesim
Croisy Aristede-Onesime (1840 - 1899)
French school. Born in Fannon (Ardennes). Student of Dumont, Gumery and Toissant. Participant of the Paris Salons since 1863. Popular during and after the Alsace-Lorraine conflict (1870 - 1871).
Author of monuments in Orleans, Loire and other cities of France, as well as many portrait busts and monuments.

12. Defense of the Banner. 1900
Multi-figure composition. Bronze. Casting, finishing. 69.5x34.5x32.5
To the right, along the ground of the pedestal, is the signature of the author: Croisy. Behind.
Description: Multi-figure composition. In the center, under the banner, is the figure of an officer, in front, in his right hand - a naked saber covering the banner. On the left is the figure of a sailor in a uniform and beret; head to the left, in the left hand a rifle placed on the ground, with the right hand opens the cartridge bag at the belt. Next to him is the figure of a man in a fez and trousers, crouching on his left knee. The head is slightly turned to the right, there is a rifle in his hands, and a backpack behind his back. To the right of the central figure is the figure of a soldier bending down to the ground; The torso is turned to the right, the head is facing forward, and there is a rifle in the hands. Behind him is the figure of a soldier preparing to attack. The torso is tilted forward, the rifle is at the ready. Behind the officer, on the right, is the figure of a second soldier, preparing for an attack, his torso is slightly tilted forward, his left leg is set back, he holds a rifle at the ready with both hands. Behind him is a large backpack. The monolithic base - part of the composition in the form of a convex surface of the earth - turns into a high profiled cylindrical pedestal, hollow inside. On the upper plane of the base, stones and grass are depicted in relief.

Laru Antonin
Larroux Antonin (1859 - 1913)

French school. Genre painter, portrait painter. Born in Toulouse. Pupil of Maurett, Idras, Falguera. Member of the French Academy of Art (1906). He had his own salon where his sculptural works were sold (1881 - 1920). Prize-winner of the Paris Salons (1887, 1888,1889, 1890, 1893, 1900). From 1910 he lived and worked in Denmark.

13. Feeding time. Beginning of the 20th century
Figure. Bronze. Casting, finishing 50.5x24.5x17, pedestal - 15.7x15.8
In the right rear corner, on the upper plane of the pedestal, is the signature of the author: A.Larroux.
Description: The figure of a woman, in height, the torso and head are in a three-quarter turn to the left and tilted back, the gaze is directed downwards. On his arms outstretched to the left he holds a large round bowl of food, pouring it onto the ground. She is depicted wearing a scarf, the ends of which are tied at the back of the head and down the neck, a blouse with short sleeves with buttons, a wide skirt, and an apron with wide folds. On her feet are high-soled shoes that look like wooden clogs, and the folds of her apron flutter in the wind. The pedestal is in the form of a low square slab, hollow inside.

Levi Charles-Octave
Levy Charles-Octave (? - 1899)

French school. Born in Paris. Student of A. Toisant. His works are known, exhibited at the Paris Salon of Fine Arts (since 1873).

14. Mower. XIX century
Figure. Bronze. Casting, finishing. 79x36x32
On the upper plane of the pedestal, near the left leg, is the author’s signature: CH. LEVY. On the front side of the pedestal there is a signature: “Faucheur par. C.H.LEVY Salon des Beaux-Arts" (The mower performed by C. Levy. Salon of Fine Arts).
Description: Full-length figure of a man, naked to the waist, barefoot, leaning on a braid. The head is almost in profile turn to the right. The right leg is extended forward, the left hand holds the scythe, the right one rests freely on top of it. He is depicted wearing a brimmed hat, trousers rolled up to the knees and tied at the waist with a wide belt. On the right side, at the back, there is a sharpener in a case for beating a scythe. The pedestal is monolithic in the form of an irregularly shaped slab, hollow inside, depicting grass, flowers, and ears of corn in flat relief.

15. Miner. XIX century
Figure. Bronze. Casting, finishing. 56.5x18.5
On the upper plane of the pedestal, near the left leg, is the author’s signature: CH. LEVY. On the front side of the pedestal there is the signature: Mineur par CH. LEVY Salon des Beaux-Arts (Miner performed by S. Levi. Salon of Fine Arts).
Description: The figure of a barefoot, topless man, full-length, head in a three-quarter right spread. He stands leaning on his left leg, his right leg in front. The arms are extended forward, the left is placed on the right, the right is on the handle of a hammer resting on a triangular block. He is depicted wearing a brimmed hat, trousers rolled up to the knees, and tied at the waist with a wide belt tied on the right side. The previously existing lantern at the waist has been lost. A monolithic pedestal in the form of an irregularly shaped slab, hollow inside, with an image on the base of a tall block of waste rock.

Luchini A.
Luchini A. (1874 - 1948)

Italian school. Florentine master.

16. Girl with a dog. The end of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th century.
Composition. Alabaster. Carving. 27x16x12
On the right side of the pedestal: Luchini.
Description: The figure of a child sitting on a high stool, head with fluffy hair, looking down at a dog standing on its hind legs. The right hand is raised up, the left hand rests on a stool. The right leg is lowered, the left leg is tucked. Shown in a dress with short sleeves and a deep V-neck. The stool is quadrangular, the space between the legs is in the form of a two-bladed arch on four sides, the shape of the arch is repeated by an ornamental pattern. Monolithic pedestal in the shape of a square slab. The details of the image are carefully worked out, the surface texture is smooth and rough.

Men Pierre-Jules
Mene Pierre-Jules (1810 - 1879)

French school. Animal sculptor. Self-taught. Born into a family of a miner. He mastered foundry production and rarely sent his works to bronze foundries for reproduction. Active participant in the Paris Salons (1838 - 1879), awarded many awards, incl. Order of the Legion of Honor. In Germany and Russia, his models were widely copied in cast iron.

17. Dog on a leash. XIX century
Composition. Bronze. Casting. pedestal: 13.4x30.2
On the pedestal, on the ground, behind - the signature: P.J. MENE.
Description: The figure of a dog with short drooping ears, the head is turned towards the viewer, the mouth is open, its side almost touches the tree trunk, around which a tight leash is twisted. The shape of the stand is close to oval; on the upper plane, grass and flowers with wide leaves are depicted in low relief. The modeling of forms is realistic with careful attention to detail: fur, paws, eyes, muscles.

Moreau Louis-Auguste
Moreau Louis-August (1855 - 1919)

French school. Parisian sculptor. Student of A. Milette, A. Dumont, Thomas and Mathurin Moreau. Works are in the museums of Digen, Marseille, Toulon, etc. Member of the French Academy of Art (1878). Prize-winner of the Paris Salons (1877, 1900).

18. Figure. water bearer XIX century
Alabaster. Carving. 53.5x30x37.5
Left, on the side of the pedestal (at the feet): August Moreau.
Description: The figure of a boy, full-length, standing with his legs wide apart, his torso sharply tilted back, his head turned three-quarters to the left shoulder and tilted back, his hair hanging over his forehead. The right hand is threaded through a loop supporting a large round jug with a broken side at the bottom. At the back there is a large stump - a support for the sculpture. Pedestal - an irregular rectangular slab with two notches in front - on a sheet of glass. The details have been worked out.

19. Girl and boy. XIX century
Composition. Alabaster. Carving
In front, on the pedestal, there is an inscription: A. Moreau.
Description: Two-part composition: a boy is depicted in full height, his head with lush wavy hair slightly tilted towards the right shoulder; the left leg protrudes forward; the right hand is raised under the visor - looking into the distance, hugging the girl with his left hand. The girl is depicted full-length, her torso and head with her hair pulled up are tilted forward; looks down; hands are on the boy’s chest, clasped, the right leg protrudes forward. Both are dressed in light flowing clothes; behind the girl's back is a hat with flowers and a bow on the crown. At the back there is a large stump - a support for the sculpture. The pedestal is irregularly round in shape; grass and flowers are depicted in relief on the upper surface.

Picoult Emil-Louis
Picault Emile-Louis (1839 - ?)
French school. He worked fruitfully for more than 50 years (1860 - 1915).
An active participant in the Paris Salons, his works were repeatedly awarded with medals and awards. At the beginning of the 20th century. created compositions of a romantic style. Author of numerous busts and monuments. More often he turned to male portraits, to images of blacksmiths, warriors, fighters, knights.

20. Dragonfly. XIX century
Composition. Bronze. Casting. 46x11.7x18
On the pedestal, in front - the signature of the name: LA CIGALE (Dragonfly); at the back is the author's signature: E.PICAULT.
Description: The figure of a naked woman sitting on a rectangular dais. The head is turned to the front, the figure is in profile, the legs are crossed and extended to the edge of the pedestal. He covers his chest with his left hand, touching his shoulder, and on his knees lies a musical instrument such as a lute. The stand is rectangular in shape with beveled corners; behind the figure’s back is a vertical plane with a relief image of tree branches.

Ple Henri-Honoré
Ple Henri-Onore (1853 - 1922)

French school. Sculptor and medalist. Pupil of Mathurin Moreau.

21. Forest echo. Beginning of the 20th century
Composition. Bronze. Casting. 50x24.5x20.8, pedestal - 18.8x18.8
On the upper surface of the pedestal there is the signature: Henri x Ple’. In front, on the ledge - the signature: ECHO des BOIS (Forest Echo).
Description: A full-length nude female figure stands leaning against a tree trunk; the torso is curved, tilted forward, the head is turned to the left, the arms are bent at the elbows and touch the lush hair that goes down the back. The legs are crossed, the right one is in front. Depicted in a draped loincloth. Behind her is a curved tree trunk with branches. Pedestal - a stand, almost square, with a rounded protrusion in front.

Leave V.
Pochini V.

Italian school.

22. Girl with a nest. XIX century
Bust. Alabaster. Carving. 28x19x16.5. Height with pedestal - 36.5

Description: Half-length image of a girl, head turned three-quarters to the right and tilted. Arms bent at the elbows in front of the chest; holds a wicker nest with three figures of birds. Depicted in a sleeveless, pleated dress trimmed with lace. On his head is a pointed hat with the brim raised up. The figure at the base ends in a truncated cone, with the apex down.

23. Girl with a book. Second half of the 19th century.
Author's signatures: Based on: V. Pochini.
Description: Half-length image of a girl, head turned three-quarters to the right, tilted to one side. The arms are bent at the elbows, holding an open book. She is depicted in a dress with short sleeves, with a round lace collar, a bonnet trimmed with lace, tied with a ribbon with a bow. Curly strands of hair fall from under the hood onto his forehead. The figure ends at the base with a truncated cone.

Ranieri Aristide de
Ranieri Aristide de. Late 19th – early 20th century

Italian school. Period of work (1895 - 1915). Awarded at the Paris Salon (1899).

24. Girl with a ribbon on her head. XIX century
Half figure. Marble. Carving. 51x25x23
Author's signatures: Left, back - inscription: A. de Ranieri.
Description: The figure of a smiling girl, frontal, almost knee-length, head slightly lowered down, with lush curly hair tied with a ribbon around her head. Arms are bent at the elbows, raised in front of the chest. She is depicted in a dress through which the body is visible, the wing-like straps are lowered below the shoulders. There is no pedestal; in front, below the waist, there is a lattice fence with a branch of a climbing plant.

25. Female head. XIX century
Bust. Marble. Carving, toning. 32.5x19.5x16.5
Author's signatures: On the right plane of the pedestal there is an inscription: “A. de. Ranieri."
Description: The head is turned three quarters to the left, the eyes are lowered down, long lush hair goes down the back, one strand is on the chest. The shoulders are cut off by deeply concave planes, turning into a pedestal in the form of a tall polyhedron of irregular shape; in front, on the pedestal and chest, there is a relief flower with long leaves, the leaf of the flower merges with a strand of hair. The bud of the second flower is in the hair. The leaves are tinted bluish-greenish. The irises of the eyes are tinted blue. The pedestal is ocher.

26. Woman with flowers in her hair. XIX century
Bust. Marble. Carving. 28x24x12.5
Author's signatures: On the side, on the right, on the pedestal - the inscription: “A. de. Ranieri." On the front side of the pedestal there is an inscription: “CANDEUR” (Purity).
Description: An image of a young woman, front-facing, with luxuriant hair gathered into a knot at the back of her head. In the hair - one flower: left and right. Depicted in a light open dress, with a ribbon over the shoulder and a flower on the chest. The irises of the eyes are tinted blue. The pedestal is oval, figured.

Biagiotti
Biagiotti J.

Italian school.

27. Girl with chick. Late XIX - early XX century.
Bust. Marble. Carving. 37.5x19x19
Description: The girl’s head is tilted forward, both arms are bent at the elbows and raised towards her face, in her left hand is a chick hatched from an egg. She is depicted in a high bonnet with a bow and lush cut-out lace framing her face. A pleated dress with a large collar covering the shoulders. The pedestal is cylindrical, figured, profiled, on a ring profiled base. The details are carefully worked out.

Charpentier Felix-Maurice
Charpentier Felix-Maurice (1858 - 1924)

French school. Participant and winner of the Paris Salons.

28. Improviser. End of the 19th century
Figure. Bronze. Casting. 35x17.5x13
On the right, on the side is stamped: Felix Charpentier. On the front side of the stand there is an inscription (the letters in brackets are hidden under the image of leaves): IM(P)RO(VIS)ATEUR (Improviser).
Description: A figure of a naked young man, full-length, playing the pipe, standing with emphasis on his left leg, his right leg set forward, to the side. The head is tilted to the right, the left hand holds a pipe to the lips, and the right outstretched hand covers the hole of the pipe. Depicted wearing a loincloth. Underfoot, on the pedestal, is a stylized image of an animal skin. Pedestal is a rectangular slab with beveled and rounded corners.

alloy in the name of one of the eras

Alternative descriptions

What is the Bronze Horseman cast from in St. Petersburg?

The material that gave its name to the era from 1800 to 700 AD. e.

Metal alloy based on copper, as well as products made from it

Alloy of copper with tin and other metals

Third-rate metal

Alloy of copper with various metals

For a long time this word was understood as "copper from Brindisi", but this etymology was eventually rejected

The gunner of the boat from the operetta by N. G. Minha “The Sea Spreads Wide”

Poultry raft from Rybakov’s work

Material from which the Bronze Horseman is made

Material from which a gift should be made for the eighth wedding anniversary

Copper alloy, products from which are awarded to athletes

Third-rate sports metal

Bronze Horseman Material

Alloy in tan description

Alloy busts

For third place

Alloy of figurines

Third-rate metal (sports)

Metal for the eighth wedding anniversary

Metal for the Bronze Horseman

Most of Auguste Rodin's works are made from this metal

Copper + tin for one of the eras

Third place medal

Copper-tin alloy

Rafting for the third prize winner

Statue metal

Rafting for the medal for third place

Alloy of copper and nickel with high electrical resistance

Alloy for busts and monuments

Alloy in the name of a historical era

Alloy that rhymes with bonzo

Metal for prize medals

Alloy of copper with tin and some other elements

Common name for many copper-based alloys

Alloy of copper with other metals

J. French an alloy of copper, tin and zinc. Bronze, pertaining to or made of bronze; powder, a mixture of gold leaf with earthy paints, in different shades. A bronze bill, in trade, non-cash, given before going into bankruptcy (bankruptcy), for sale, and division of proceeds. Bronze or bronze, give something a color, the appearance of bronze, paint, finish it like bronze, with paint or bronze powder, like red, yellow, green bronze. -sya, to be bronzed. Bronzing, bronzing cf. duration bronzing about. valid by verb; The ending in ka also refers to the quality of the work. This bronzing is not good. Bronzovka railway bronzing; bronze powder; a composition with which plaster and wooden things are rubbed, giving them the appearance of bronze. Bronzer worker m. working bronze and copper things; -chichiy, related to him

The gunner of the boat from the operetta by N. G. Minha “The Sea Spreads Wide”

The material that gave its name to the era from 1800 to 700 AD. uh

Rafting for the third person to finish

What is the Bronze Horseman cast from in St. Petersburg?

For a long time this word was understood as "copper from Brindisi", but this etymology was eventually rejected

Completed by: Daria Nelyubova Supervisor: I. A. Drobysheva

Slide 2

Goal: having studied the sculptural compositions of S. Yesenin, to comprehend the secret of the poet’s poetic inspiration, to enrich information about Yesenin. Objectives: study the research literature about S. Yesenin; independently analyze the topic: “S. Yesenin in bronze"; show the nationality of Yesenin’s creativity, which is of particular value; based on the form and content of S. Yesenin’s sculptural compositions, talk about the immortality of the poet and his work.

Slide 3

Sergei Timofeevich Konenkov is one of the outstanding sculptors of the  century. He always strived for accomplishments of enormous scope, for deep and comprehensive generalizations. His F.M. Dostoevsky and Bach, L.N. Tolstoy and Surikov, M. Gorky and S.V. Rachmaninov amazes with the complexity of his psychological portrait. These features of the master’s creativity reached their highest embodiment in “Self-Portrait,” which was awarded the Lenin Prize in 1957. The work is distinguished by a deeply thought-out compositional solution. The wide turn of the powerful shoulders serves as a pedestal for the head proudly thrown back, the face is framed by strands of gray hair, the gaze is directed far ahead. And finally, the last chord of the composition is a thin but strong hand, the hand of an artist and worker. “Self-Portrait” expresses the sculptor’s thoughts about the purpose of the artist, faith in the power of the human spirit and mind.

Slide 4

Konenkov portrayed Yesenin at the moment of his inspired poetic self-expression. Grabbing his hair with his right hand, pressing his left hand to his heart, with his mouth half open - at that moment he looked especially like an enthusiastic singer of his lyre. The gesture of his hands is an impulsive movement, full of sincere spontaneity. And the pose, so correctly captured by the sculptor, clearly seen and therefore very natural. Yesenin's portrait was made from the heart, penetrating into the mystery of poetic inspiration.

Slide 5

...On October 23, 1970, on a stormy autumn day, ninety-six-year-old artist Sergei Timofeevich Konenkov came to Konstantinovo, the homeland of the poet Sergei Yesenin, as part of a delegation of cultural figures. The newspaper “Soviet Culture” then held a meeting of village workers with masters of art on Ryazan soil.

Slide 6

The sculptor presented the museum staff with a photocopy of his pencil drawing by Sergei Yesenin and left a warm note in the book of honorary writers. “Remember and love our great poet Sergei Yesenin,” the sculptor said in parting. “After all, his voice was the voice of the people.” S.T. Konenkov was leaving “a thoughtful and gentle land,” the homeland of the great Russian poet. A year later, he himself completed his long life and creative path, rich in events and meetings.

Slide 7

The Ryazan leadership turned to the famous Ryazan sculptor Antonina Petrovna Usachenko, who in 1970 was awarded the title of laureate of the All-Union Lenin Komsomol Prize for the monument “Grieving Pskov Woman”. Antonina Petrovna was able to create a monument - a bust of Yesenin - in the shortest possible time. It was manufactured at the Ryazan Tsentrolit plant. According to the plan of the leading architect of Ryazan N.N. Istomin, the sculpture was supposed to be installed on the station square in front of the Ryazan-2 station building.

Slide 8

Monument to S. Yesenin in Ryazan. Sculptor A.P. Kibalnikov. On October 2, 1975, the grand opening took place.

Slide 9

In the eastern district of Moscow, behind Taganskaya Square, among numerous factories and factories, at the intersection of Volgogradsky Avenue with the boulevard, named Yeseninsky in 1964, a monument to the famous Russian poet Sergei Aleksandrovich Yesenin was erected. This was the first bronze monument in the country, which the sonorous Yesenin so passionately sang in his poems. The opening took place on October 3, 1972. The authors of the monument are People's Artist of the USSR, full member of the USSR Academy of Arts, sculptor Vladimir Efimovich Tsigal, architects S.E. Vakhtangov, Yu.V. Yurov

Slide 10

It is interesting to look at the silhouette of the monument from the side, where the monolith-hill takes on the outline of a sailing boat, and the folds of clothing behind the shoulders are perceived as wings or a fluttering sail. In deep thought, slowly, with his usual easy gait, the young man descends the hillock. With his head uncovered, he walks in an “overgrown garden” towards the viewer, the wind, and the sun. The figure of the young poet, cast in bronze, stands almost on the ground. More precisely, it moves. Despite the fact that it is cast from metal, there is some special lightness and elation in it.

Slide 11

One of the cities of Russia where the memory of our noble fellow countryman S.A. is sacredly honored. Yesenin, is Voronezh. Here, at different times, monuments to outstanding Russian literary artists have already been erected: A. Koltsov, I. Nikitin, I. Bunin. On October 25, 2006, another significant event took place: a monument to the great countryman S. Yesenin was unveiled. Love for the poet prompted People's Artist of Russia, Moscow sculptor, Yesenin Prize laureate Anatoly Bichukov to donate his work to the city. Actor Sergei Bezrukov provided sponsorship for this cultural event.

Slide 12

...And I stand as if before communion, And I say in response to you: I would die now of happiness, Vouchsafed such a fate. But, doomed to persecution, I will continue to sing for a long time... So that my steppe singing can ring like bronze.

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Adolphe Morand was a French subject who was destined to create his own business in Russia. In the 1840s, he worked as a bronzer at the factory of the famous manufacturer F. Chopin, but already in 1849 he opened his own workshop. In the 1850s, an enterprising young man, a merchant of the second guild, teamed up with merchants E.I. Genke and K.D. Pleske in order to expand its own production.

In 1857, a large electroplating factory for artistic bronze, founded by the Duke of Leuchtenberg in St. Petersburg, was sold piecemeal after the death of the owner. The galvanoplastic workshop was bought by the merchants mentioned above, calling their factory “Partnership of Genke, Pleske, Moran.” Later, the sole owner of the factory was A. Moran, who made his name famous thanks to highly artistic bronze products.

Since the Duke of Leuchtenberg’s enterprise was sold along with the land, the workshop was set up near the mouth of the Obvodny Canal, all the equipment from the former workshop was transferred to it. The architect F. Puschel built a whole complex of buildings here, from which the Moran plant, famous in Russia and abroad, later grew. The new enterprise continued the work on electroplating, previously carried out at the Duke of Leuchtenberg's plant, and also launched the production of bronze products.

Full of energy, Moran, together with his Russian companions, approached the matter in a big way. Just a few years after its founding, the plant employed more than three hundred people, and the production itself was mechanized as much as possible and organized using the most advanced technologies for that time. A steam engine was used in the casting process, which made it possible to produce products worth more than 220 thousand rubles in silver.

Since at that time the success of bronze foundry production was directly related to government orders, only those factories flourished that could receive expensive orders for decorating palaces, temples, and parks. The Moran factory not only managed to receive such orders, but also successfully fulfilled them, which became the reason for the prosperity and popularity of the enterprise.

After many years of partnership with Pleske and Genke, Moran stopped working with them and already in the 1870s represented the factory's products only under his own name. In 1892, Moran went to his homeland in France, transferring the factory to Sergei Genrikhovich Gona.

Back in 1898, in the directory “All of St. Petersburg” in the category of bronze and copper, S.G. Gonet was listed as the owner of the plant, which he called "Moran A. and Successors." However, later, about a year later, his brother G.A. took over the plant. Gone. The plant changed not only its owners, but also its address, moving to Malaya Bolotnaya.


In 1907, the factory changed hands again and was taken over by professional bronzer and factory manager E.P. Gaker. Hacker led the plant until the Great Russian Revolution.

Factory products

Government orders

Having sufficient experience in bronze foundry production, Moran was able to quickly put the plant on a grand scale. The factory produced luxurious chandeliers, fountains, clocks and inkwells, as well as many other artistic bronze items. The most famous works of the Partnership were giant chandeliers for St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg, doors for the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, bronze monuments to Russian tsars and magnificent chandeliers for some palaces.

Thus, one of the first chandeliers for the Hermitage, created in 1889, still illuminates the museum and is its property, which is treated very carefully. This is a huge chandelier with many electric lamps. In the nineteenth century, this design made it possible to replace more than a dozen chandeliers, and requires several people to clean and check it every year. The decor of the chandelier is made in the style of Louis XVI.

Although Moran was a French subject, and was later forced to leave Russia without receiving Russian citizenship, he cast grandiose bronze works in the molds of Russian sculptors. This contradicted the canons of the fashion existing at that time to focus on Western models, but made it possible to set a national direction in monumental sculpture. For his significant work, Moran received the honorary title of supplier of bronze to the Imperial Court.

Chandeliers of the Armorial Hall
Winter Palace.
Bronze factory of A. Moran, 1900

Bronze from the Moran factory has been preserved not only in state museums and private collections, but has also become the property of many Russian cities. The plant cast about seventy monuments from super red bronze, which were later placed throughout Russia. This is a monument to the writer N.V. Gogol in Moscow, monuments to the composer M.I. Glinka, navigator I. Kruzenshtern, Empress Catherine II in St. Petersburg, artist I.K. Aivazovsky in Feodosia and many other famous Russian figures.

Cabinet bronze

Bronze was used to decorate not only palaces, temples and park complexes, but also the houses of aristocrats. From the moment the imperial family acquired bronze lamps, furniture, mirrors, clocks and other objects, bronze became a symbol of nobility and wealth. Gradually it penetrated more and more into the everyday life of wealthy people.

In the period 1880-1890s, the Moran factory began to produce the so-called cabinet or chamber bronze, which at that time was of significant interest to wealthy citizens. It was considered very fashionable and prestigious to furnish a study with bronze clocks, inkwells, candlesticks or intricate sculptures. The same interior items were used to decorate living rooms, libraries and other rooms where guests could be invited.

Ashtray “Horse Head”.
Sculptor E.A. Lansere.
Cast by A. Moran.
1862-1886

The factory not only introduced the latest technologies, but also relied on the originality of the work. While most manufacturers working with cabinet bronze, silver, gold, porcelain and other materials were guided by Western samples, Moran relied on the original works of Russian artists. This step turned out to be very successful and brought fame to the plant far beyond the borders of St. Petersburg. Contemporaries wrote about the manufacturer that the most valuable thing about his products was the originality and originality of the works created according to sketches and models of Russian artists.

The theme of Russian realism was developed by many sculptors of this period. Its appearance in the products of the bronze foundry industry is also associated with the closure in 1860 of the foundry house belonging to the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. If until that time the classical style, characteristic of European bronze-casting schools, had dominated, now the craftsmen began to work in private factories and were able to sculpt on the topic that was truly interesting to them. In the works of talented sculptors E.A. Lanceray, A.L. Obera, N.I. Liberich, RR. Bach and many other Russian masters created original scenes from the lives of ordinary people, military men, and animals.

"Smoking Circassian." E.A. Lansere.
Factory A. Moran. 1870

Moran, along with such famous manufacturers as Chopin, Werfel or Stange, also collaborated with famous sculptors, casting works based on their models. Chamber plastics based on the works of Russian sculptors made up the lion's share of the plant's output. In addition to animalism and genre scenes, the cabinet sculpture cast at the Moran factory contains images of famous representatives of Russian culture. Among them were smaller copies of monumental monuments, the height of which reached almost one meter.

Military-historical themes and hunting scenes were also quite popular. Generals, rulers or hunters were invariably depicted on horseback most often in some event. Thus, the royal hunter during the reign of Tsar Ivan the Terrible is represented as strong, agile, galloping astride a fast horse.

"Royal Hunter"
the times of Ivan the Terrible."
Form E.A. Lansere.
Casting by A. Moran.
1879

In a similar way, Prince Svyatoslav appears before the viewer at the moment when he sends his army to battle. According to the descriptions of the Tale of Bygone Years, Svyatoslav was a brave warrior, fast as a leopard, unpretentious on campaigns, did not carry carts with him, ate simple food, slept without a tent. This is how Lanceray captured it in his characteristic manner of detailing the sculpture.

Sculpture of Prince Svyatoslav.
According to the model of E.A. Lansere.
Casting at A. Moran's plant.
1886

The work “Svyatoslav on the way to Constantinople” is a kind of testament to the world of art by the greatest sculptor, his last work, which he managed to complete before his death. In it he expressed his entire attitude towards the Russian character, the spirit of the Russian person. The sculpture is one of Lanceray's best works and was therefore cast in many factories, including Moran's.

The production of cabinet bronze by famous masters was not a cheap pleasure, since only the sculptor himself had to pay a decent amount for those times. So, for the multi-figure form cast by the famous E.A. Lansere, the foundry worker had to pay five to six hundred rubles. For comparison: making a star of the Order of Alexander Nevsky with diamonds cost three thousand rubles. Cabinet bronze could not by itself ensure a significant flourishing of production, so factories had to expand their activities and range. In particular, Moran's factory produced electroplating products, products made from cupronickel and other materials.

Currently, cabinet sculpture cast at the Moran factory is exactly the same indicator of taste, prestige and wealth as it was in the 19th century. The cost of various bronze sculptures today is estimated at tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars, but true connoisseurs of antiques are willing to pay such sums in order to surround themselves with the best examples of world culture.

Moran factory marks

The hallmarks of Adolphe Moran's factory usually contain the surname of the owner himself. Since many famous sculptors worked for the manufacturer, on the bronze the name of the author of the work was placed next to the name of Moran. It could be a short "A." Moran" or longer versions: "Excellent. head A. Moran Ave.” or “Excellent.” head And Moran.”



Some stamps contain the abbreviation of St. Petersburg: “A. Moran Ave. St. Petersburg.” All inscriptions were made by hand, so they depended entirely on the author’s handwriting. Sometimes these were printed letters, and sometimes neatly handwritten ones.


Since Morand's surname was written as Morand in French, there are variations on this theme in the stamps. For example, in the sculpture “Ox” made by A.L. Ober, next to the inscription of the author of the form there is a mark of the Moran plant: “A. Morand SPb.” with the characteristic letter “d”. The spelling “Murand” is also found.