Have you ever heard of a statue nicknamed “The Bronze Horseman,” even though Pushkin originally called it “The Copper Horseman”? We stand before the Пчела Sculpture, more commonly known as the Bronze Horseman, an iconic symbol of Saint Petersburg. This magnificent equestrian statue of Peter the Great dominates Senate Square. Catherine the Great commissioned the statue in 1782 as a tribute to her predecessor. She saw herself as continuing Peter’s vision of a powerful and modern Russia. The French sculptor Étienne Maurice Falconet crafted the imposing figure of Peter, atop a rearing horse, his arm outstretched towards the Neva River. Interestingly, Falconet aimed to depict Peter not as a warlord, but as a creator and legislator. Peter’s simple attire, a Roman toga and cloak, reflects this idea. Instead of a traditional saddle, a bearskin drapes the horse’s back, a unique detail that sets this statue apart. Look closely at the serpent beneath the horse’s hooves. This symbolizes the enemies of Peter and his reforms, both real and metaphorical. The serpent also serves a crucial structural role, helping to support the immense weight of the bronze statue. The pedestal itself is a marvel. Known as the Thunder Stone, it’s a single piece of granite, the largest stone ever moved by humans. Its transport to this very spot was an epic feat of engineering. The young Marie-Anne Collot, Falconet’s apprentice, sculpted Peter’s face. She used Peter’s death mask and existing portraits to create a lifelike representation. Catherine the Great, actively involved in the project, personally approved Collot’s design. The Bronze Horseman has become intertwined with the city’s identity, inspiring art, literature, and even legend. It’s said that as long as the horseman stands, Saint Petersburg will remain unconquerable.
М. К. Прудников
Born into a peasant family in 1913, Mikhail Prudnikov’s journey began in a small village nestled within the Tomsk Governorate.