June 4, 1965, on a sunny summer day, the grand opening of the monument to Lermontov Mikhail Yurievich took place in his homeland - in Moscow. The ceremony was attended by poets, writers, researchers, students, schoolchildren and just workers. Congratulatory speeches and poems sounded from the podium.
The idea to create a monument to Lermontov in Moscow appeared in 1941. It was in the year of the 100th anniversary of the death of the poet that the city government adopted a resolution on the construction of a memorial. But the Great Patriotic War, which began soon after, did not allow the idea to be realized immediately.
Only in the early 60s did it become possible to return to this idea. Several competitions were held for the best design of the monument. And in 1964, in the year of the 150th anniversary of the birth of the poet, the project of the first monument to Lermontov in Moscow was approved. Work has begun on its manufacture.
Moscow in the life of M. Yu. Lermontov
In Moscow, Lermontov lived a total of no more than 5 years. But the most important events in his fate were connected with this city. Here, inOctober 1814 he was born. True, a few months later, at the beginning of 1815, he was taken to Tarkhany, to the estate of his maternal grandmother, where he was brought up until the age of 13.
In 1827, Lermontov again settled in Moscow to get an education. He first studies at a boarding school at the Moscow Imperial University, and then enters the university itself.
Finally, the beginning of the poet's creative activity is connected with Moscow. In 1830, his poem "Spring" appeared in the magazine "Atenei". This was Lermontov's first publication. From that time on, he confidently entered Russian literature.
The first monument to the poet
Talking about the creation of a monument to Lermontov began at the end of the 19th century, about 40 years after his tragic death in a duel. An initiative group appeared in Pyatigorsk, which began to promote this idea, seeking permission from the government and raising funds.
Then it was proposed to erect a monument to Lermontov in Moscow. But in 1880, noisy celebrations were held on the occasion of the opening of a monument to Pushkin there (the work of Opekushin A. M.), so the Moscow city administration was forced to abandon the new grandiose project.
The creation of the monument was preceded by many years of preparatory work. In 1889, the first monument to Lermontov appeared in Pyatigorsk.
Other monuments to Lermontov
Following the monument erected in Pyatigorsk, Lermontov memorials began to appear in other citiesRussia. In 1892 - in Penza (sculptor Gintsburg I. Ya.), in 1896 - in St. Petersburg (Kreytan V. P.), in 1900 - in Serednikovo near Moscow (Golubkina A. S.). Twice an attempt was made to erect a monument at the site of Lermontov's duel in Pyatigorsk. The first project was implemented in 1901 (author Baikov A. A.), but after 6 years the sculpture fell into disrepair, because. was made of plaster. A new monument was erected in the same place in 1915 (author Mikeshin B. M.).
Monuments of M. Yu. Lermontov were installed in Tambov, Gelendzhik, Tarkhany Museum-Reserve (Penza region), in Grozny. It just so happened that in the poet's homeland, in Moscow, his memory was immortalized almost in the last place. On the other hand, the Moscow monument stands out among others both in terms of mastery of execution and its spatial solution. He was innovative in many ways, but more on that in due time.
Choosing a location for the monument to Lermontov in Moscow
The question of the place where the monument will be installed was resolved quickly. The members of the commission unanimously chose the territory on the Red Gate Square, which since 1941 has been named after the poet. Not far from this square was the house where M. Yu. was born. Lermontov.
Monument to Lermontov in Moscow: preparatory stage
The consciousness of the monument was preceded by many years of work. Competitions for the best design have been held since 1958. An authoritative jury of members of the Union of Artists of the USSR studied dozens of options, for a long time not finding one that would fully satisfy them. Varied inmonuments to Lermontov were presented to the plot and form, the photo of them could not be found, but the verbal description was preserved.
Some sculptors relied on a dynamic figurative solution, choosing an unusual composition, pose, situation. They Lermontov was placed on a rock, on a horse, sitting on the ground, on a mountain ledge. Such projects were interesting in their own way, but did not correspond to the place that was determined for the future monument.
Other authors focused on conveying the inner state of the poet, using expressive gestures, turning the head, etc. But excessive expression, according to the jury members, did not correspond to Lermontov's image.
The jury was interested in projects that offered a spatial solution for the monument, analyzed how it would fit into the surrounding landscape.
A group of authors led by I. D. Brodsky at all stages of the competition was among the contenders for victory. It was their project that was approved in 1964.
Authors team
Isaac Davidovich Brodsky was the most mature member of the winning creative team. He fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, and after its completion he entered the Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts, where he studied with the famous sculptor M. G. Manizer. Before starting work on the monument to Lermontov, Brodsky already had experience in building monuments. In 1954-1955, he immortalized the memory of A. M. Gorky in Tesselli and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, made monuments to revolutionary leaders.
2 young architects took part in the work - Nikolai Nikolaevich Milovidov andGrigory Efimovich Saevich. They were responsible for the spatial solution of the monument, specified its size, position on the square, analyzed how the sculpture would be in harmony with the surrounding buildings.
Invaluable assistance to the creative team was provided by researcher I. L. Andronikov, without his advice and hints, the monument to Lermontov in Moscow would not have received such portrait and psychological accuracy.
Material selection
The figure of the poet was decided to be made of bronze. This is one of the most traditional materials. Due to its plastic properties, it allows you to create very complex compositions, to convey the smallest details. Monuments to Lermontov in Russia are mostly made of this alloy.
The decorative lattice is also made of bronze, which forms a single ensemble with the monument. The remaining parts of this ensemble (pedestal, benches, platform, lattice support pylon) are made of polished gray granite. This combination of materials of different texture and properties made it possible to place semantic accents and achieve maximum expressiveness.
Description of the monument
Monuments to Lermontov in Russia are different in technique and impact on the viewer. The Moscow memorial is concise and at the same time very expressive. The figure of the poet has rigid contours formed by large smooth planes, the boundaries of which converge at sharp angles. This gives tension to the pose and figure. It seems that behind the external restraint lies a huge inner energy.
Alive and dynamicthe sculpture is made by the interpretation of clothes. The figure is enclosed in a strict military frock coat. But gusts of wind flutter his skirts and flutter his collar, opening the poet's chest to meet the elements. Stiffness, tightness in a vise are also symbolically expressed in the posture of hands clasped behind the back. However, the poet's head is turned to the side with a strong-willed movement as a sign that he does not want to obey.
A lot of effort was spent on achieving a portrait likeness. Here the advice of I. L. Andronikov. Lermontov's self-portrait, created in 1837, was taken as the basis.
Artistic details
The first thing you should pay attention to when talking about the features of the monument is the shape of the pedestal. In the entire composition of the memorial, the pedestal is the most modest and neutral part. The granite pillar, slightly expanded in the middle part, at the same time elevates the figure of the poet above the surrounding space and connects it with it, because. the platform is made of the same material. The pillar, devoid of any decor, does not distract attention from the main part of the memorial.
An important part of the composition is a wide bench stretching along one of the sides of the site. In the middle of the last century, this was an innovative solution to the surrounding space. At present, this technique is widely used, which indicates its great potential and benefits.
Another significant element of the ensemble is the figured lattice, depicting the silhouettes of Lermontov's heroes - the Demon and Mtsyra. Between them on a high rearing wave is depictedlonely sail. The lattice performs not only a decorative role, but also separates the territory of the monument from the rest of the square.
In many Russian cities there are monuments to Lermontov, the photo does not always allow us to convey their expression, harmonious connection with the surrounding landscape. One thing is certain, the monument erected in Moscow is one of the top three.
