The Bronze Horseman Monument and the Russian Culture (Essay Sample)

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The Bronze Horseman Monument and the Russian Culture
Different societies have been using art to preserve and to pass their cultures from one generation to another. St Petersburg is a city that has preserved its cultural history in art. The Bronze Horseman is one of the most famous monuments in Russia. The iconic statue was erected on the Senate Square, near River Neva in the eighteenth century. It is difficult to ignore the historical monument, which was created to honour Peter the Great. Notably, the monument stands between the ancient St Isaac’s Cathedral and the Admiralty, which means that it is located near other important Russian landmarks. Studying the Horseman Bronze enables anthropologists, sociologists, and literature scholars have an in-depth understanding of the Russian history and culture. Particularly, the art is attached to the culture of St Petersburg.
Catherine the Great commissioned the construction of the Horseman Bronze in 1775. It took the builders about seven years to complete the work. Therefore, the construction work was completed officially in 1782 after a few failures (Stirling). Even though most of the workers were Russians, the sculptor was a Frenchman known as Falconet. The statue was moulded using bronze metal as its name suggests. It is important to understand that Catherine commissioned the work so that the people of Russia and St Petersburg could honour her as a leader. Therefore, the Bronze Horseman had effects on social, cultural, and political processes in the country. Even though the statue was meant to honour a legend, Catherine the Great was using the opportunity to build her reputation and legacy as a leader. Catherine the Great knew how the people of St Petersburg respected Peter the Great as a legend who had defended their cities against external enemies (Stirling).
Scholars have interpreted the sculpture differently depending on their understanding of the culture and history of the town. A poem by Alexander Pushkin entitled “The Bronze Horseman” helped popularize the statue in Russia, Europe, and other parts of the world (Smith 112). The statue derives its name from the popular poem. It is also important to note that the poem focuses on River Neva that has been flooding St Petersburg over the years. The literature was meant to talk about the culture and events that take place in the streets of St Petersburg on a daily basis. The last verse of the poem narrates how the statue of Peter the Great jumps from the stone and starts chasing people in the streets, suggesting that it defends the city. Additionally, the literature supported the legend and mythology that the city of St Petersburg is defended by the Bronze Horseman and will never be destroyed by an enemy (Stirling).
The pose by Peter the Great on the statue posits that he is ready to attack. Moreover, the posture portrays him as a warrior on his horse. Therefore, it is reasonable to say that the Russian culture respected leaders and warriors. It is also evident that leaders take action so that they earn recognition and respect from the society. Catherine the Great was determined to oversee the designing and construction of the Bronze Horseman for her to be respected and remembered by the people of St Petersburg. The fact that her name is still written on the stone underneath the statue implies that she will be remembered as long as the statue of Peter the Great stands. Therefore, the sculpture conjures up the idea of two historical and iconic leaders.
According to Pushkin’s poem, River Neva and the Bronze Horseman are two of the most important landmarks associated with St Petersburg. The poem portrays the river as the enemy that has been flooding the streets and killing people. On the other hand, the statue of Bronze Horseman is portrayed as the defender of the city. Acco...