Monument to Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Smolensk

Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich - commander, who went down in history as a military leader, defeated the army of Napoleon, who before that managed to conquer almost the whole of Europe. For over 50 years he served faithfully and truthfully to his Motherland, fighting for her interests and protecting from all kinds of invaders.

Grateful descendants appreciated the feats and military merits of the Field Marshal General. In particular, in 1837 a monument was erected to Kutuzov near the Kazan Cathedral. Later, monuments were erected in Moscow and Smolensk.

Prehistory of the creation of the St. Petersburg monument to Kutuzov

The great commander completed his life in 1813. Death overtook him in a small Prussian town of Buntslau a few days after the troops he commanded came to the Elbe. The embalmed body of the commander was taken to St. Petersburg and on June 13, buried in the Kazan Cathedral.

Five years later, another hero of the Patriotic War, M. Barclay de Tolly, died. Shortly thereafter, it was decided to erect monuments to these two generals before the Kazan Cathedral. The competition for projects for these monuments was announced several times, but the presented works were rejected, since none of the famous sculptors of that time could fulfill the main condition - to create figures in uniforms, in which people are accustomed to seeing their heroes. Today it is difficult to understand, but the sculptors of that time used to create compositions that imitate classical art, when men and women were depicted in Roman toga and tunics.

Monument to Kutuzov at the Kazan Cathedral: how to create

The only one who managed to present a realistic project, was the former serf BI. Orlovsky. The final versions of the sketches were approved in 1830, and in 1835 they cast Kutuzov's figure, 7,731 kilograms of copper were spent on it. Another couple of years was needed to build a pedestal, the project of which was designed by the architect V. Stasov.

Appearance

The monument to Kutuzov was opened in December 1837. This event was timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the expulsion of Napoleon from Russia, and was accompanied by a salute and a grand military parade.

To create a realistic image of M. Kutuzov, a ceremonial portrait of the great commander of the work of D. Doe was used. However, the sculptor somewhat idealized his figure, giving it a great energy. At the same time, he focused on the posture of the commander, who was supposed to express his militant spirit and desire for victory.

In his right hand, M. Kutuzov squeezes the sword, and in the left hand - the Field Marshal's staff. At the feet of the figure lies the unfolded French banner, which has a broken shaft. His pommel, in the form of a Napoleonic eagle, is pressed to the ground. All this symbolizes the severity of the French military power before the genius of the Russian commander.

The figure of the commander, as required by the conditions of the competition, is clothed in uniform, which is decorated with orders. The sculptor carefully depicted the general epaulettes, the sword hanger and sewing on the cuffs and collar. Nevertheless, he could not completely abandon the accepted at that time canons, and Kutuzov's cloak is very similar to the Roman toga. According to experts, this work was the first step in the transition from classicism to realism in Russian art.

Monument to Kutuzov in Smolensk

The merits of the great commander were not forgotten in the Soviet period. In particular, in 1954 in Smolensk a monument to Kutuzov was erected by sculptor G. Motovilov and architect L. Polyakov. The opening of the monument took place in 1954, the place for its installation was chosen territory next to the Assumption Cathedral. The monument was an addition to a number of other memorial buildings of Smolensk, dedicated to the Patriotic War of 1812.

Description

The monument to Kutuzov in Smolensk is cast from bronze. He represents a figure of the commander in full growth on a strict pedestal of pink granite. The field marshal is depicted with his head uncovered and in a wig. He has a large forehead, a nose with a hump, a unseeing right eye, deep creases at the mouth, abundant wrinkles and a double chin. Kutuzov is dressed in a military uniform and his chest is decorated with military decorations. At the same time, the right hand of the commander squeezes the handle of the naked sword, lowered to the ground, and with his left hand he holds the cloak.

Podolsky monument

Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich became famous in many battles and operations. In particular, everyone knows his Tarutin maneuver, which was produced on Podolsk land. As evidenced by historical documents, it was not pre-planned, and the decision was made intuitively, based on the situation. Be that as it may, the maneuver reached its goal and helped to weaken the army of Napoleon.

In the 20th century, at the place where the army was staying under the leadership of Kutuzov, a neighborhood was built. It was named in honor of the famous commander. In 1994, on the initiative of local authorities, work began, as a result of which appeared a stele with a bas-relief of the general-field marshal. In addition, in 2012 was also installed and a large monument to Kutuzov.

In Podolsk, more precisely, on the territory of the same area it can be seen if you go to the central square of the settlement Krasnopakhorskoye. The choice of a place is not accidental, since it was there after the battle of Borodino that the commander's headquarters was located. The author of the monument is the sculptor Alexander Rozhnikov. He portrayed Mikhail Illarionovich in an overcoat thrown over his shoulders, boldly marching towards the trials.

Monument to M.I. Kutuzov in Moscow

This majestic equestrian monument is set on the avenue, which is named after the general-field marshal. The idea of its installation was born back in 1945, when the 200th anniversary of the birth of Kutuzov was celebrated. However, the final decision was not made, and the monument to the commander in the capital appeared only in 1973. Its author was N. Tomsky, who before that had created several famous sculptural images of Lenin and Stalin. Among his most successful works can also be called a monument to Lomonosov on the Sparrow Hills.

In addition to the figure of Kutuzov himself, Tomsky began creating sculptural images of the heroes of the Patriotic War Bagration, Ermolov, Platov, Raevsky and Davydov. They were placed on the ledge of the pedestal, on which there is a thank-you note.

Now you know how to create a monument to Kutuzov in Petersburg and are familiar with the description of sculptural compositions dedicated to the commander in the capital, in Podolsk and in Smolensk. They are an expression of gratitude of the Russian people to one of their greatest sons, who devoted all his conscious life to defending the interests of the Motherland.