Kozlovsky Mikhail Ivanovich is one of largest sculptors Russian classicism, whose work is imbued with high ideas of enlightenment, vivid emotionality and sublime humanism. According to art criticism of the early 19th century, in each of his works “a lot of imagination, feeling, an original look and the masterful hand of the author are revealed.”
Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky is a sculptor who, of all Russian artists, lived perhaps the shortest, but also the most brilliant life. The creator was especially interested in characters from ancient myths and Russian history. It was in them that he found ideals that were important not only for his contemporaries, but also for his descendants.
Kozlovsky Mikhail Ivanovich: biography
The work began during the hero’s lifetime. At the age of seventy, the Generalissimo forced the whole world to applaud the heroic transition of the Russian army across the Alps, unprecedented in history. In 63 battles, the Russians did not have a single defeat, 619 enemy banners were captured by the victors. The famous Italian campaigns crowned the Russian army and the leadership talent of Alexander Suvorov with unfading glory.
The task of the sculptor Kozlovsky was to create a lifetime triumphal monument. The order determined the theme: not the actions of a long heroic life of the great commander, not the originality of his spiritual appearance, but only his exploits in the Italian campaign should have been reflected in the statue.
Portrait in the language of allegory
And the sculptor again turned to the language of allegory. A light, slender figure on a round pedestal - a young, courageous warrior in armor, full of strength and rapid movement forward. This is an image of the Roman god of war, Mars. Gesture right hand, holding a naked sword, shows extraordinary determination. The cloak was energetically thrown behind his back. A handsome, courageous face, a proudly raised head, unshakable confidence and an all-conquering will, masterfully conveyed in the figure - this is the idealized image of the god of war created by the sculptor.
With his shield, the warrior covers the altar installed behind him, on which are the Sardinian and Neapolitan crowns, as well as the papal tiara. The symbolic meaning of this image is as follows: Russian weapons under the leadership of Suvorov defended the interests of the three represented states in the Italian campaign.
On the side faces of the altar there are female figures symbolizing the best of human virtues: hope, faith and love.
On the front side of the pedestal there is an image of crossed laurel and palm branches - a symbol of the commonwealth of the geniuses of war and peace.
The hero's shield rests on the spoils of war - cannonballs, cannons, banners. The fence around the monument consists of exploding bombs connected by chains.
Allegorical meaning should be sought in all details of the statue. And the inscription on the pedestal: “Prince of Italy, Count Suvorov of Rymnik” speaks of who the monument is intended for.
High inner truth
In Kozlovsky’s work, the portrait resemblance of the allegorical idealized image he created to his beloved folk hero is only vaguely noticeable.
In the elongated proportions of the face, deep-set eyes, large nose and the characteristic cut of the senile, slightly sunken mouth of the bronze god of war, contemporaries recognized the features of the great commander.
The resemblance is blurry and very distant; external portrait accuracy was clearly not a priority for the creator of the sculpture. Having sacrificed portrait authenticity, he conveyed the unshakable will and all-conquering energy of Suvorov. Kozlovsky, through the language of allegory - through likening to the god of war - idealized and heroized the image of the great Russian commander for centuries. And this is the high inner truth of his work.
Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky (1753 – 1802)
M.I. Kozlovsky died before all his famous sculptor contemporaries, but before others he emerged as a master of classicism.
Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky was born into the family of a regimental musician, as the researcher reports. At the age of twelve, the future sculptor entered the Academy of Arts (Karpova E.V. Sculptor Mikhail Kozlovsky / Almanac. Issue 180. - St. Petersburg: Palace Editions, 2007. - P.5. The Russian Museum presents). He studied with Nicolas Gillet, whom we have already talked about, and in the process of studying he received gold and silver medals. Upon completion of his education in 1773, he was sent as a pensioner to Italy, from where, after a six-year stay, he left for Paris. Upon returning to St. Petersburg, M.I. Kozlovsky was involved in the work on decorative and monumental works that adorned the architectural monuments of the capital and park ensembles near St. Petersburg. He was the author famous sculpture Samson defeating the lion, in the ensemble of Peterhof fountains, participated in the creation of the decorative decoration of the Marble and Chesme palaces, the Temple of Friendship of Tsarskoe Selo.
Polycrates. Bronze. 1790 We present works by Kozlovsky, executed in the late 1780s–1802. In the center of the hall we see the statue “Polycrates”, the idea of which arose from the sculptor during his life in Paris. If you remember what was happening in France at that time, the choice of a topic filled with tragic and philosophical meaning will become clear. It was a time of revolution, a time of executions, bloodshed. On July 14, 1789, the Bastille, the prison that personified the old regime, was taken. The authorities even demanded that retired Russian artists take up arms and join the rebels, to which Kozlovsky, as the most courageous and active, replied: “...the Imperial Academy did not send us here to carry a gun here.” (Karpova E.V. Reference book, p. 17.) The plot of the sculpture is taken from history Ancient Greece. Polycrates is the ruler of the island of Samos. He was very rich and successful in all his affairs. He defeated his enemies and lived in luxury. But he understood - and this corresponded Greek philosophy, - that a person cannot be equal to the gods, that one has to pay for everything. Otherwise the gods may send misfortunes. And Polycrates decided to appease the gods. He came up with the idea of sending them his most important treasure - a precious ring. How to send a gift to the gods? Polycrates threw the ring into the sea. But it so happened that the next day the cook was cleaning the fish he had just caught and found a ring in it. Polycrates realized that the gods did not accept his gift. Soon the war with the Persians began, and Polycrates was treacherously handed over to the enemies. He was brutally executed - crucified on a tree. This moment is what the sculptor shows. On the tree trunk we see an inscription in Greek, translated meaning: “No one is happy while he is alive.” The German poet Friedrich Schiller wrote a poem on this topic, “The Ring of Polycrates,” known to us in the translation of Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky.
The sculpture is shown in an intricate spread and must be walked around to get the full impression. Polycrates strives to free himself, the muscles of the body and left arm are very tense, but the suffering face and the powerlessly lowered right hand indicate that the hero’s strength is drying up. In the composition of the figure we see the heritage of the Baroque.
To examine the next statues, we should go to the lobby. Vigil of Alexander the Great
The name of Alexander the Great and glory have passed through the centuries. He lived only thirty-three years, at the age of 20 he headed the state and army, and in the many years of war that he waged with the peoples of the Mediterranean, Egypt, Persia and India, he did not suffer a single defeat. During the wars, Alexander founded several cities named after him. One of them has survived to this day - this is Alexandria in Egypt. The image of Alexander the Great attracted poets, writers, artists, and sculptors. Our M.I. did not remain indifferent to this, as we would say, romantic hero. Kozlovsky.
Alexander (356–323 BC) – son of the Macedonian king Philip II. Known from literature various stories from his youth, which speak of his intelligence and courage, for example, he was able to tame a wild and evil horse that was not given to anyone. Alexander's teacher was the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle. It is known that Alexander adolescence prepared himself for military exploits. For example, he forced himself not to sleep. For this purpose, a vessel was placed near his bed, and Alexander held a ball (made of metal or marble) in his hand. It was an alarm clock. When the young man fell asleep, the ball fell into the vessel with a ringing sound and woke him up. This is the subject that the sculptor chose for his work.
The young prince is represented as a handsome young man, whose entire appearance is based on ancient statues. He leans on his hand, half asleep, and his pose is emphasized by the façade point of view that prevails here. But still, in order to carefully examine the sculpture, we must examine it from different angles. Alexander sits on a bed, among military attributes: we see a helmet, a quiver with arrows, a shield on a pedestal and an unfolded scroll - this is the manuscript of Homer’s poem “The Iliad”, the character of which – Achilles – was Alexander’s favorite hero. Consider the pedestal. The shield depicts a centaur (half man, half horse) who raises the hero Achilles. As noted by the researcher of this work A.G. Sechin, education is the meaning of this sculpture. (A.G. Sechin. On the issue of the plot of the statue of M.I. Kozlovsky “The Vigil of Alexander the Great” // Pages of history Russian art. XVI-XIX centuries. Vol. V. – St. Petersburg: State Russian Museum. 1999. – P.62-68). It can be emphasized that both the allegory and the idea moral education, self-improvement, and the very artistic solution of sculpture are characteristic of classicism. Kozlovsky quickly mastered the basic principles of this style, as we see in this work and in others completed in the 1790s.
Catherine II as Themis
This statue glorifies Catherine II in allegorical form. Themis is the goddess of Justice in Ancient Greece. Empress Catherine II, German princess Sophia Augusta Frederica of Anhalt-Zerbst (1729–1796) is known as Catherine the Great. The wife of Peter III, who was killed by the guards in 1762, the mother of Emperor Paul I, who was killed by the courtiers in 1801, a grandmother who loves her grandchildren, two of whom reigned - Alexander I and Nicholas I, a writer, author of plays and fairy tales. She published the “Order” - a set of laws. Sculptor E.M. Falcone, who came to Russia at her invitation, created a worldwide famous monument"Bronze Horseman". Catherine always surrounded herself with outstanding, smart and talented people. She carried on interesting correspondence with French philosophers. For example, correspondence with the most influential and famous writer and the philosopher Voltaire compiles several volumes. Catherine bought Voltaire’s library for Russia, made notes in the margins of books, not all of which had been studied by researchers, and the library of the writer Denis Diderot, who even visited St. Petersburg and talked with the empress. Catherine II significantly enriched the Hermitage collection by purchasing collections of works of art. Under her, Russia led victorious wars, the commanders - Potemkin, Suvorov, Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky - glorified the Russian army, Crimea was conquered. Catherine left behind memories.
The Empress is depicted sitting on a throne in a stately pose, which is emphasized by the flowing folds of her clothing. With her right hand she leans on the pillar where the scales lie - a symbol of justice - and holds them, and with her left hand, as if crossing the figure of the empress, she points to the sword wrapped in a scroll. What does this symbol mean? The sword always symbolizes war. But here it is wrapped in a manuscript, a scroll of laws. This means that the wars are over, peace has come, and the time has come to calmly implement the laws. The idea of the sculpture, expressed allegorically, calls for peace and moral duty; the artistic solution - the façade point of view, the generalized, devoid of detail, appearance of the empress - speaks of the classicistic execution of the monument achieved by the sculptor.
In addition to majestic and heroic subjects, Kozlovsky was attracted to idyllic motifs, where peace, harmony, and carefreeness can be shown. This is how “Cupid” standing here is perceived.
Cupid (Cupid in the image of Harpocrates)
Everyone knows who Cupid is. But who is Harpocrates? That's what they called Egyptian god Mountain. He was depicted as a baby with a finger near his mouth. This image symbolized silence. In the Hellenistic and Greco-Roman eras, Cupid in the image of Harpocrates was considered the god of silence. (Mythological Dictionary / Compiled by M.N. Botvinnik and others - L.: State educational - pedagogical publishing house, 1959. - P. 43.) You can say for yourself that this is a real classicist sculpture. Hymen
God of marriage among the ancient Greeks and Romans. The sculpture was made in connection with the marriage of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich and Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna (Julia Henrietta Ulrika, Princess of Saxe-Coburg). There are attributes of wedding celebrations - a shield with portraits of the bride and groom, cooing doves, joined hands, flowers and a cornucopia.
“Girl with a Butterfly” also belongs to the calm and carefree images.
Yakov Dolgoruky, tearing up the royal decree
Prince Yakov Fedorovich Dolgoruky (1659 – 1720) was an associate of Peter I. He took part in Peter’s military campaigns. He was a senator and headed the Military Commissariat. In 1717 he was appointed president of the Board of Auditors. He was known for justice, integrity, straightforwardness of judgment and fearlessness. Yakov Dolgoruky was not afraid to contradict Peter himself if he disagreed with him. One day an event occurred that served as the theme for the sculpture. The senators signed a Decree, “according to which the Novgorod and St. Petersburg provinces, already devastated by the war, were obliged to send peasants to dig the Ladoga Canal.” (Karpova E.V. Sculptor Mikhail Kozlovsky. / Almanac. Issue 180. - St. Petersburg: Palace Editions, 2007. - P. 47. The Russian Museum presents). Yakov Dolgoruky stated that the peasants were already burdened with war and extortions, and they should not be sent to new work. And he tore up the royal decree. Peter got angry, and then realized that Dolgoruky was right. Not everyone could do this! The figure of the hero is given in a slight turn, which does not violate the façade point of perception. In his hand he has a torch - a symbol of truth. At the feet there is a snake and a mask. The snake is a symbol of evil, the mask is a symbol of hypocrisy. Allegory means that the hero tramples hypocrisy and evil in the name of the triumph of truth. On the pillar lies the Decree in expanded form, the inscription in French reads: “Decree of the Emperor, burdened for a devastated country” (Karpova E.V. Ibid.). There are also scales here, symbolizing justice. The high humanistic, moral idea of sculpture corresponded to classicist ideals. The artistic execution also met the canons of classicism. Kozlovsky does not show the historically correct costume of the hero; he is dressed in a Roman toga and boots. The face framed by lush curls is idealized.
The most famous and last work of the sculptor who passed away early was the monument to Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov.
Reduced repetition of the monument to A.V. Suvorov, installed in St. Petersburg in 1801. Bronze, granite. 1801 Kozlovsky worked on this monument in 1799 - 1801, starting it immediately as soon as the fame of the campaign of Suvorov’s army through the Swiss Alps reached St. Petersburg. Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (1730 – 1800) is a great Russian commander, world famous, who never knew a single defeat. The monument was commissioned by Emperor Paul I to Kozlovsky. In accordance with the aesthetics of the time and the canons of classicism, the sculptor created not a portrait of Suvorov, but a monument to his victories. Suvorov turned seventy years old, and after returning from the most difficult Italian and Swiss campaigns, he was ill and soon died. The commander is presented in the image of the god of war, wearing a helmet and armor, and imperiously holding a sword in his raised hand. With a shield, the commander covers the papal tiara (the headdress of the Pope), and the crowns of the Sardinian and Neapolitan kingdoms. The symbolism means that Russian army under the leadership of Suvorov, she waged victorious wars in these lands. Suvorov is presented in a heroic pose, with his head held high, his cloak falling in dynamic folds, as if swayed by the wind. On the granite pedestal we read the inscription: “Prince of Italy, Count Suvorov-Rymniksky.” Suvorov received these titles for his brilliant victories - in Russian-Turkish war on the Rymnik River in 1787 - 1791 and over the troops of the then young General Napoleon in 1799, although he did not have to fight Napoleon himself. The fearless commander also received the title of generalissimo. This sculpture is a generalized monument to the commander and his victories, which glorified the Russian army. The young architect A.N. participated in the creation of the pedestal. Voronikhin, the future builder of the Kazan Cathedral, and sculptor F.G. Gordeev, about whom we have already spoken. The bronze bas-relief with the inscription is overshadowed by two winged geniuses - allegorical figures denoting Peace and Glory. The monument was unveiled on May 5, 1801, a year after the commander’s death. Contemporaries said about him: “Suvorov was a miracle of our century. He shone with the greatness of his soul and the simplicity of his good morals.” (A.V. Suvorov. Letters. // Edition prepared by V.S. Lopatin. - M.: Nauka, 1987. - P. 747).
You may recall that during the Great Patriotic War, this monument, like those of Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly, was left open. He inspired the fighters, recalling the exploits of Russian soldiers. The troops saluted him as they left for the front.
In the same room there are paintings by the first Russian artists of the Academy. We have already mentioned this educational institution, but let’s talk in more detail. The idea of creating an Academy of Arts in Russia occupied Peter the Great even in his youth. But wars prevented its implementation. Masters of decorative art worked in the famous Office of Buildings, which operated since 1706 and was engaged in the construction of the new capital, St. Petersburg. Peace with the Swedes was concluded in 1721, and already in the next year, 1722, the emperor began to create a large scientific center with an Academy of Sciences, a university, a gymnasium and an Academy of Arts. The Academy of Sciences was founded in 1724, and opened in 1725 after the death of the great Tsar. He died on January 28, 1725. The Academy of Sciences had a painting, sculpture and architectural department, where teachers were taught mainly by foreign masters. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna transformed this department into the Academy of Arts.
It happened like this: the chamberlain, a friend of the empress, the most educated man of his time, Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov, whom we have already mentioned, took care of art education in Russia. In 1757, he submitted a project to the Senate to create an Academy of Arts. Elizaveta Petrovna approved the project. Thus, the daughter of Peter the Great fulfilled her father’s dream. Soon, construction began on the building of the Academy of Arts on Vasilyevsky Island. In countries Western Europe– Austria, Italy, France and others – Academies of Arts were already operating and ideas, certain canons and rules of depiction were developed there. We have already talked about them. In the process of examining the paintings, we will repeat it again.
Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky is one of the founders of Russian classicism.
Gifted with diverse talents and a vigorous creative temperament, he is better known as an outstanding sculptor. It is unlikely that any of his contemporaries was able to express with such skill the era of great wars and the high rise of Russian social thought. His works, whether they were associated with the heroics of antiquity or the glorious past of Russia, embodied the ideas of living modernity. Using the language of allegory, the sculptor invariably brings to the fore the theme of protest, struggle and suffering. In terms of the strength of its tragic sound, Kozlovsky’s work echoes Derzhavin’s poetry. Organic affinity connects his sculpture with the works of ancient masters. The world of ideas and images, the courageous plasticity of heroes contemplating, suffering, fighting, is akin to the works of the great Michelangelo.
Like most artists of the XVIII century, Kozlovsky came from a democratic environment. He was born in St. Petersburg on October 26, 1753 in the family of a military trumpeter. My father served in the Baltic Galley Fleet, in the rank of non-commissioned officer. The family lived on the outskirts of the capital in the Admiralty Galley Harbor. In 1764, at the request of his father, eleven-year-old Mikhail, trained in Russian literacy and arithmetic, was accepted as a student at the Academy of Arts. Three years later, the talented student was assigned to the sculpture class of Professor Nicolas Gillet. The years of study of Mikhail Kozlovsky coincided with the period of maturation of classicism in European painting, sculpture and architecture. The cornerstone of the aesthetics of classicism is the idea of imitation of the masters of Ancient Greece and Rome. The main features of the theory of classicism go back to the rationalistic and metaphysical dogmas of European, mainly German and French philosophy of the Enlightenment. From 1774 to 1779, Kozlovsky spent the years as a pensioner at the Academy in Rome. In 1779 he went to Marseille and from there to Paris. In February 1780, the Marseille Academy of Arts awarded him the title of academician. Kozlovsky's pensioner works indicate how carefully he studied ancient monuments, deeply penetrating the essence of the theory of classicism. He peered just as carefully at the works of modern masters. His enthusiastic review of Michelangelo's Last Judgment has been preserved. Great master The Renaissance, unfortunately, was underestimated by artists of the 18th century, but Kozlovsky saw in his “terrible talent and art” a kinship with his own creativity and temperament. 1
Kozlovsky returned to St. Petersburg in 1780, a mature master, and immediately took a prominent place in the Russian artistic community. He quickly entered the circle of the advanced noble intelligentsia. His first works in his homeland affirmed the virtues and immortal glory of great people who deserved the gratitude of their fatherland. Kozlovsky embodied examples of civic valor and love for his homeland in historical bas-reliefs, graphic compositions, and sculpture. The most famous works Kozlovsky - monument to A.V. Suvorov on the Champ de Mars in St. Petersburg and the sculptural group “Samson Tearing the Lion’s Jaw”, which occupies a central place in the design of the Grand Cascade ensemble in Peterhof.
The Russian Museum displays classical statues of Mikhail Kozlovsky. Let's consider four of them - refined, sharp, lively, integral, logically clear - images of ancient heroes.
1780s
The statue “The Vigil of Alexander the Great” was made by Kozlovsky in the second half of the 1780s. Probably the customer was Catherine II's favorite Potemkin. He wished to portray the future “king” four sides light,” devoting all his time to study and even sacrificing sleep for the sake of reading, in order to set this valiant example for youth. “Alexander” was supposed to decorate the festival in the Tauride Palace, conceived by Potemkin for the Empress. It is known that Catherine nurtured her young chosen ones, supplied to her with the approval of her extremely busy “senior” favorite, wanting to create outstanding ones out of them. statesmen, but, alas, I had no success with any of them.
The statue carries an allegorical meaning; the plot is taken from the works of the ancient historian Quintus Curtius. I quote his legend: “Alexander in his youth, during the reign of his father Philip, wishing to gain great knowledge in the sciences, tried to restrain himself from sleep and always fell asleep, having in his hand a copper ball, which, during his deep sleep, falling into the basin, woke up by the knocking it produces.”
Kozlovsky depicted Alexander sitting on his bed at a moment of complete exhaustion, when, during a night class, he was struck by treacherous fatigue. To solve his plan, the sculptor chose a complex pose, turning the young man’s figure into depth. A strong, trained body bowed, defeated by the god of sleep, a curly, heavy head rests on a bent left arm, one leg is thrown over the other. The fingers of the right hand barely hold the copper ball over the bowl. Another second, and they will unclench - the ball will fall with a loud thud and wake up the prince. Kozlovsky completely succeeded in conveying the state of a dozing person. Alexander sleeps until the ball falls.
In order to enjoy the beauty of a young athlete’s body, you need to go around it and repeat it again. You will be captivated not only by the main character, but also by the sculptural still life that tells the story of his world. The small bed is covered with fabric falling in wavy folds. Kozlovsky managed to convey their graceful lines in marble. The right hand with the ball rests on a helmet decorated with a magnificent plume. Particular attention is drawn to the shield leaning against the bed and decorated with a bas-relief of Alexander’s favorite story, “The Raising of Achilles by a Centaur.”
Polycard
The image of the ruler of Samos, Polycrates, a rich and lucky man, treacherously destroyed, is one of the most tragic both in Kozlovsky’s work and in Russian art of the second half of the 18th century. The sculptor completed the statue in 1790. The plot is taken from ancient history- a well-known historical fact. The ancient Greek tyrant of Samos was cruelly deceived by the Persian satrap Oroites, who invited him in 522 BC. to the city of Magnesia to divide the treasures. Polycrates arrived trustingly, but the treacherous Oroites treated him treacherously and ordered him to be seized and crucified. The plot, taken from ancient history, served the sculptor to respond in the language of allegory to the events of living modernity. Progressive people of the 18th century saw Polycrates as a symbol of the variability of happiness. The tyrant Polycrates was rich and greedy for treasures, ambitious, merciless towards his subjects, terrible for his enemies, but he did not escape betrayal and died terrible death. In the years French Revolution this image acquired a new, even greater relevance. People of the 18th century, accustomed to thinking in allegories, remembered Polycrates because they saw around many “polycrates” and “polycratics” - deceived by cruel fate former lucky ones. The statue was created in Paris, during the turbulent years of the revolution, where Kozlovsky ended up with his students. Kozlovsky managed to embody the pathos of suffering and struggle in the image of a dying man. He knows that he is doomed, but the passionate thirst for freedom is expressed in an intense, unequal struggle with death, immeasurable excitement. Polycrates' body is bending in unbearable pain, but every muscle is tense, the hand clenched into a fist is thrown up in despair, the leg is sharply pulled to the side. The whole figure with swollen veins, painfully tense muscles, is engulfed in a rapid impulse. Polycrates is looking for support, hoping to gain strength. He longs to break his bonds, like Michelangelo's slave, but his strength is leaving him, death is approaching. A drooping head and a lifelessly hanging hand speak of the hopelessness of freeing oneself. The exhausted face of the dying woman is distorted by agony. On the trunk of the tree to which Polycrates is chained, there is an ancient Greek inscription carved: “... no one can consider himself lucky while he is alive.”
Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky was born on October 26 (November 6), 1753 in the family of a military musician who served as a non-commissioned officer in the Baltic galley fleet and lived with his family on the sea outskirts of St. Petersburg, in the Admiralty galley harbor. The future sculptor spent his childhood years here.
According to a petition submitted on July 1, 1764, eleven-year-old Mikhail, trained in Russian literacy and arithmetic, was accepted as a student at the Academy of Arts and parted forever with parents' house. The years of his teaching coincided with the period of formation and gradual maturation of classicism in European sculpture, architecture and painting.
After graduating from the Academy in 1773 with a large gold medal, Kozlovsky lived in Rome for four years (1774–1778) as an academic pensioner.
At the end of his retirement period in Rome, Kozlovsky spent one year in France. In February 1780, the Marseille Academy of Arts awarded him the title of academician. That same year he returned to his homeland and immediately took a prominent place in the St. Petersburg artistic community. Kozlovsky became close friends with the advanced noble intelligentsia.
Kozlovsky's first works constitute a unique cycle, permeated with the pathos of high citizenship. The main theme of the artist is a citizen sacrificing himself in the name of the fatherland and public good. At the very beginning of the eighties, Kozlovsky was invited to participate in the sculptural design of the Marble Palace. The sculptor makes bas-reliefs decorating one of the walls of the marble hall: “Regulus’s farewell to the citizens of Rome” and “Camillus rids Rome of the Gauls.”
In 1784–1785, Kozlovsky made a large marble statue of Catherine II in the image of Minerva, the goddess of wisdom. Here the sculptor embodies the ideas of the enlighteners about an ideal monarch - a defender of the fatherland and a wise legislator. This work brought the sculptor wide fame and recognition from his contemporaries.
Another statue of Kozlovsky, “The Vigil of Alexander the Great,” also has an allegorical meaning. As V.N. Petrov notes:
“The sculptor showed here the talent of an accurate observer, able to keenly notice in nature and express in art the living state conceived to characterize the image.
Only when walking around the statue in a circle is the charm of Alexander’s beautiful youthful body revealed, and numerous decorative details, decorating the statue, are connected into a single, clearly thought out whole. Kozlovsky achieves both the plastic integrity of the image and the logical clarity of his detailed story about Alexander the Great, rich in historical hints.”
At the end of the eighties, Kozlovsky was already a widely recognized and renowned master. But, having completed his next orders, the sculptor at the beginning of 1788 decided to start studying again and go abroad “to further acquire knowledge in his art,” as noted in the minutes of the academic council.
In Paris, the sculptor creates the statue “Polycrates”, to which one of the critics successfully applied the words of the great Goethe, previously spoken about the ancient “Laocoon”: “This is an imprinted flash of lightning, a wave petrified in the instant of the surf.”
“Polycrates” clearly shows the last, pre-death tension of the vital forces of a dying person, the last impulse in the struggle of life with death.
In 1790, Kozlovsky returned to his homeland. Two years later, he creates one of his beautiful idyllic sculptures - the statue “Sleeping Cupid”.
The figure of Cupid is in complex, tense movement. It even seems that this contradicts the dream motif chosen by the sculptor. Kozlovsky, trying to embody the character and inner life of feeling, gave his hero an expression of lyrical dreaminess and languid fatigue.
The cycle of Kozlovsky’s idyllic images is completed by a small marble statue of Psyche (1801), which all researchers mention among his most beautiful creations.
“Breaking the iconographic tradition,” writes V.N. Petrov, “going back to the famous ancient group “Cupid and Psyche” (Capitolian Museum in Rome) and developed by Raphael in the Farnesina frescoes, Kozlovsky depicted Psyche not as a beautiful girl, but as a little girl, with more an unformed childish body and a pretty, but completely childish face. Thus, in the sculpture of the Russian master, ancient symbolism is reinterpreted: the image of the Psyche-soul acquires a real, almost genre character, and the image of a moth loses its symbolic and mystical meaning, becoming a simple plot and decorative detail.”
Simultaneously with the works of the idyllic cycle, Kozlovsky created reliefs, statues and sculptural groups. Their topics were taken from ancient mythology or national history. The best sculptures belong precisely to this new heroic cycle.
Since 1796, Mikhail Ivanovich began working on an extensive series of sculptural sketches on the themes of the Trojan War, as well as the exploits of Hercules and Theseus. The entire “Trojan” cycle is marked by the search for monumentality, which constitutes an essential new feature in the development of the sculptor's creativity. However, all this does not come at the expense of the realistic clarity and vivid expressiveness of the images. Works created in the mid-nineties look more strict and internally integral, more restrained in expressing feelings. From here the paths to the monumental sculpture of “Suvorov” (1800–1801) and “Samson” (1802) can be traced. Work on the monument to Suvorov began during the life of Alexander Vasilyevich, in 1799. The famous Italian campaigns have just ended, crowning the Russian army and Suvorov’s leadership talent with unfading glory. The seventy-year-old generalissimo amazed the whole world with the heroic transition of Russian troops across the Alps, unprecedented in history. “The Russian bayonet passed through the Alps,” they began to say since then. Russian troops did not suffer a single defeat in 63 battles and captured 619 enemy banners.
The great commander is represented in the form of a knight. For a correct understanding of the statue created by Kozlovsky, it is necessary not to lose sight of one essential feature of the plan: at the time when the artist began his work, he did not have in mind to erect a monument in the sense usually given to this term - he created a lifetime triumphal monument. The topic was strictly determined by the order. The sculptor's task was to glorify Suvorov as a war hero in Italy. Not the originality of the spiritual appearance of the great commander and not the deeds of his long and heroic military life, but only his exploits during the Italian campaign could be reflected in the statue of Kozlovsky.
From the very beginning of work on the statue, Kozlovsky turned to the language of allegory. He wanted to create not a portrait, but a symbolic image glorifying Russia and its great commander in an allegorical form.
On a round pedestal is a light, slender figure of a warrior in armor, young, courageous, full of strength and swift movement. This is the Roman god of war, Mars. The gesture of his right hand, in which he holds a naked sword, is decisive. The cloak is vigorously thrown behind his back. Confidence, inflexibility, all-conquering will are masterfully conveyed in the figure; a handsome, courageous face and a proud carriage of the head complement this idealized image of the “god of war.”
The warrior covers with his shield the altar standing behind him, on which is the papal tiara, Sardinian and Neapolitan crowns. Their symbolic meaning is the victories of Russian weapons, won under the leadership of Suvorov, who defended the interests of the three states allegorically represented in the monument. Female figures on the side edges of the altar symbolize human virtues: faith, hope, love.
The figure of the warrior successfully matches the perfectly found proportions of the pedestal. On its front side - the geniuses of glory and peace crossed palm and laurel branches over a shield with an inscription; the shield seems to rest on military trophies - banners, cannons, cannonballs. The fence around the monument consists of bombs connected by chains, from which tongues of flame burst out.
Everything here is filled with allegorical meaning. And only the inscription on the pedestal “Prince of Italy, Count Suvorov of Rymnik” convinces us that this is a monument to the great Russian commander.
However, the idea of portrait resemblance was not at all alien to the sculptor. After all, it was not only about glorifying the victories of Russian weapons - it was about the merits of Suvorov himself, and contemporaries should have recognized him in the statue.
The portrait resemblance is clearly noticeable in the image created by Kozlovsky. The artist conveyed the elongated proportions of Suvorov’s face, his deep-set eyes, large nose and the characteristic cut of an senile, slightly sunken mouth. True, as always with Kozlovsky, the similarity remains distant. The image of Suvorov is idealized and heroized. But, sacrificing external portrait accuracy, the sculptor managed to reveal and express the most essential features of the spiritual appearance of the national hero. The decisive and formidable movement of the figure, the energetic turn of the head, the imperious gesture of the hand raising the sword well convey the all-conquering energy and unshakable will of Suvorov. There is a high inner truth in the patriotic statue of Kozlovsky.
This monument had not yet been completed when Kozlovsky had to take part in the execution of new plans, equally grandiose in scale.
The best Russian masters were involved in updating the sculpture of the Great Peterhof Cascade - Shubin, Shchedrin, Prokofiev and Rachette. Work began in the spring of 1800 and was completed six years later.
Kozlovsky was assigned the main role. He created the group “Samson Tearing the Lion’s Mouth,” which occupies a central place in the ideological concept of the Grand Cascade ensemble.
As V.N. Petrov writes:
“Creating a sculptural group, Kozlovsky took advantage ancient allegory, which arose back in the time of Peter the Great. The biblical Samson, tearing the lion's mouth, was identified with Saint Sampson, who in the 18th century was considered the patron saint of Russia. On the day of celebrating the memory of this saint, June 27, 1709, a victory was won over the Swedes near Poltava. In the art of Peter the Great's era, Samson personified victorious Russia, and the lion (the state emblem of Sweden) represented the defeated Charles XII.
Kozlovsky embodied these symbols in a grandiose sculptural work. Samson's powerful body with titanically tense muscles was depicted in energetic but restrained movement. The hero’s figure unfolded in space as if in a spiral: bending his body, slightly bowing his head and sharply moving his leg back, Samson tore the lion’s mouth with both hands.
Researchers rightly pointed out the closeness of “Samson” to the images of Michelangelo’s art. But in the ideological and figurative content of the group, in the deep patriotic feeling that is expressed in this statue of Kozlovsky, one can notice distant echoes of a completely different tradition.”
Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky
KOZLOVSKY Mikhail Ivanovich (1753-1802) - sculptor who worked in the style classicism. His most famous works are the statue of the large fountain in Peterhof “Samson tearing the mouth of a lion” (1800-1802) - an allegory of Russia’s victory in the Northern War, a monument to A.V. Suvorov (1799-1801) in St. Petersburg.
Orlov A.S., Georgieva N.G., Georgiev V.A. Historical Dictionary. 2nd ed. M., 2012, p. 226.
Kozlovsky Mikhail Ivanovich (1753-1802), sculptor. Studied at St. Petersburg Academy of Arts(1764 - 73) from N. F. Gillet, long years lived and worked in Rome (1774 - 79) and Paris (1779-80, 1788-90).
Kozlovsky's creativity (relief, statuary sculpture, monuments, tombstones) is imbued with sublime humanism and deep emotionality. In Kozlovsky’s early works (reliefs for the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg, 1787; “The Vigil of Alexander the Great,” 1780s) one can see the master’s desire for a balanced composition and interest in civil and historical themes. Kozlovsky’s talent was multifaceted: the statue “Polycrates” (1790) is full of tragic pathos, and “Sleeping Cupid” is full of gentle grace and charm. Kozlovsky was worried about the topic of heroism. An allegory of Russia’s victory over Sweden in the Northern War was the statue for the Grand Cascade in Peterhof “Samson tearing apart the mouth of a lion” (1800-02).
Kozlovsky's most important work is the monument A. V. Suvorov(1799-1801) in St. Petersburg on the Field of Mars. Kozlovsky created a generalized image of a warrior, an ideal commander, a hero, embodying in him the idea of military power and the triumph of Russia, citizenship and heroism.
L. N. Vdovina
Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky (1753-1802). An artist of bright and multifaceted talent, a talented sculptor and an excellent draftsman, Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky occupies one of the first places in the history of the most outstanding century of Russian sculpture - the 18th century.
M.I. Kozlovsky was born on October 26, 1753 in the family of a military musician. The boy's early ability to draw prompted his parents to send him to the Academy of Arts. Here he was assigned to a sculpture class in which N. Gillet taught - French artist, educator of many talented sculptors of that time. In addition to modeling, which Kozlovsky was seriously involved in, drawing was a great and sincere hobby. Therefore, when choosing a specialty, he hesitated for a long time, not knowing what to give preference to: painting or sculpture.
In 1772, Kozlovsky was awarded a 1st degree gold medal for the program bas-relief “Prince Izyaslav on the Battlefield” (plaster, Research Museum of the USSR Academy of Arts). The sculptor turned to a theme from Russian history. Kozlovsky managed to create a dynamic scene: the characters’ poses are full of expression, their gestures are exaggeratedly pathetic. The artist has not yet arrived at the strict brevity and restraint that will characterize the mature period of his work.
Having received the Grand Gold Medal for thesis“The Return of Svyatoslav from the Danube” (1773), Kozlovsky graduates from the Academy of Arts. To continue his education, he goes to Italy. Acquaintance with works of antiquity, in-depth study of ancient monuments and paintings by Renaissance artists enriches his work and broadens his horizons. Unfortunately, nothing has come down to us from Roman works, except for a few drawings executed with great temperament and perfection. In 1780, the Marseille Academy of Arts awarded the artist the title of academician. This is evidence of the popularity of his works abroad.
Returning to his homeland, Kozlovsky performed numerous works to decorate architectural monuments. He performs bas-reliefs
For Concert hall in Tsarskoe Selo (architect G. Quarenghi) and for the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg (architect A. Rinaldi). At the same time, he made a marble statue of Catherine II, presenting her in the image of Minerva (1785, Russian Museum). The artist creates an idealized, full of greatness, image of the empress-legislator. Catherine liked the statue, and Kozlovsky received permission to travel to Paris “to further acquire knowledge in his art.”
In 1790 in Paris, the sculptor made the statue “Polycrates” (GRM). The theme of the human desire for freedom, expressed in the work, is consonant with the revolutionary events in France, which Kozlovsky witnessed. The master depicted the most intense moment of the suffering of Polycrates, chained to a tree by the Persians. Never before has a sculptor achieved such expression, drama, strength in expressing complex human feelings and such figurative plastic solutions. His excellent knowledge of anatomy and work from life helped him in this.
In 1794, Kozlovsky was awarded the title of academician, then “in respect for his talents” he was appointed professor, and in 1797 - senior professor. His role as a teacher at the Academy is extremely high. An excellent draftsman, a sensitive and attentive teacher, he earned universal respect and love. A whole galaxy of young talented sculptors came out of his workshop: S. Pimenov. I. Terebenev, V. Demut-Malinovsky and others.
The end of the 80-90s of the 18th century was the heyday of the sculptor’s talent. Heroic themes, full of high patriotic pathos, attracted the artist during this period. In 1797, he carved in marble the statue “Yakov Dolgoruky, tearing up the royal decree” (GRM). It is significant that the artist turned to themes of Russian history and events of the recent past. He was attracted by the image of Peter’s associate, who was not afraid in the presence of the emperor to tear up the unjust decree signed by the tsar, which imposed unbearable hardships on the ruined peasants. The figure of Dolgoruky is full of determination and firmness. His face is angry, stern. In the right hand is a torch, in the left are the scales of justice; at the feet there is a dead snake and a mask, personifying deceit and pretense.
Kozlovsky also turns to the plots of the Homeric epic and Roman history. A large place in his work is occupied by his work on the image of Alexander the Great (1780s, Russian Russian Museum). In the statue “The Vigil of Alexander the Great,” the sculptor captured one of the episodes of the future commander’s training of will. The beauty and perfection of the figure, the flexibility and smooth movement of the youthful body are attractive. The silhouette of the statue is thought out, distinguished by its clear and expressive contours.
Kozlovsky created a number of sculptural and graphic sketches on the themes of Homer’s epic. Among them, the most successful is the marble figurine “Ajax protects the body of Patroclus” (1796, Russian Museum), the theme of which is male friendship and devotion. In the tense movement of Ajax’s figure, in the wide step, in the energetic turn of the head, determination and willpower are felt. The contrast of the dead immobility of Patroclus's drooping body and the strong, muscular Ajax gives the scene drama.
Almost all of Kozlovsky's works recent years imbued with heroic pathos and the spirit of courageous struggle. In the bronze group “Hercules on Horseback” (1799, Russian Museum) is a symbolic expression of the military genius of Suvorov. The artist presented the outstanding commander in the form of a young man, Hercules, riding a horse. His figure is expressive and impressive. This group, to a certain extent, was a preparatory stage in the artist’s work on the most significant, largest work - a monument to the great Russian commander A.V. Suvorov.
With great enthusiasm, Kozlovsky began creating the monument in 1799. The sketches preserved in the Russian Museum testify to a long and complex compositional search, endless changes in the solution of the image. Only in the latest versions did the artist come up with the idea of presenting Suvorov as a “god of war” with a sword and shield in his hands. To glorify the strength and courage of the Russian commander, Kozlovsky turned to allegorical form, creating an idealized generalized image of a warrior. There are no specific personality traits of Suvorov in it. The main idea expressed by the artist in the monument is to show the courage, determination, and unshakable will of the commander. The knight is depicted in energetic but restrained movement. He quickly and easily takes a step forward. The hand with the sword is raised high, as if to strike. With a shield he covers the crown and the papal tiara. The head is sharply turned to the side. In the open, young, proud face there is an expression of calm courage. The frontal design of the statue is distinguished by solemnity, calmness, and monumental clarity. When viewed from the right, the movement of the warrior in an offensive impulse is especially noticeable; the viewer looking at the monument from the left side more clearly feels the emphasized firmness and confident power of the figure. The pedestal, designed by Kozlovsky with the participation of A. N. Voronikhin, is harmoniously connected with the plastic solution of the sculpture. The massive, rhythmically dissected shape of the round granite pillar is contrasted with the light and graceful figure of the hero.
The monument was inaugurated on May 5, 1801 and installed in the depths of the Champs de Mars, near the Engineering Castle. Only in 1820, in connection with the reconstruction of buildings on the Champ de Mars, the monument was moved to the embankment, to the square named after the Russian commander. The monument to Suvorov is the pinnacle of the sculptor’s creativity. Its appearance was the largest event in the artistic life of Russia. The history of Russian monumental sculpture of the 19th century begins with it.
Another outstanding work of Kozlovsky, the best decoration of the Peterhof cascades, was “Samson” - the central statue of the sculptural ensemble, to the creation of which the best Russian sculptors contributed: F. I. Shubin, I. P. Martos, F. F. Shchedrin, I. P. Prokofiev, F. G. Gordeev and others. But perhaps the most significant was the role of Kozlovsky, whose work compositionally completed and united the sculptural complex of the Grand Cascade. The artist again turned to a symbolic solution. The hero Samson personifies Russia, and the lion represents defeated Sweden. This allegorical image in the 18th century was understandable to everyone. The powerful figure of Samson resembles a fairy-tale epic hero defeating a wild beast in a fierce fight. It is given by the artist in a complex spread, in tense movement.
“Samson” by Kozlovsky is one of the most outstanding works of world decorative sculpture. The ensemble of Peterhof fountains, destroyed by the Nazis during the Great Patriotic War, has now been restored. Once again it is decorated with the statue “Samson tearing the mouth of a lion” (this is a copy of Kozlovsky’s work, executed in 1947 by the Leningrad sculptor V. A. Simonov).
Kozlovsky's last works were tombstones P. I. Melissino (1800) and S. A. Stroganova (1802, “Necropolis of the 18th century”, Leningrad Museum of City Sculpture), filled with a heartfelt feeling of sorrow.
The sculptor’s life was cut short in the prime of his talent. Kozlovsky died on September 18, 1802 at the age of forty-nine.
Materials from the book: Dmitrienko A.F., Kuznetsova E.V., Petrova O.F., Fedorova N.A. 50 short biographies of masters of Russian art. Leningrad, 1971, p. 53-58.
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