Sights of Moscow: a monument to Minin and Pozharsky. Description

Among the sights of Moscow one of the first monuments is dedicated, not dedicated to rulers, but to folk heroes, defenders of the Moscow state. This monument is located near the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed (Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin on the ditch) on the Red Square. Before describing the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, let's take a look at the history of its creation.

Years of the creation of the monument and folk donations

The history of the monument to Pozharsky and Minin began before the First World War. The monument was erected in 1818 on the site chosen by the sculptor Martos Ivan Petrovichem contrary to the dictates of Tsar Alexander I. The collection of funds for the construction of the monument is imprinted on the facial bas-relief of the pedestal.

Men and women with abundant donations are depicted in two separate groups. Women, smoothly moving, give jewelry and jewelry. Their significant and solemn poses show how important is the action to raise money for a good cause for the glory of the Fatherland. The antique clothes of kneeling women are a tribute to time. However, the sculptor showed them in Russian kokoshniks. The men depicted on the bas-relief also bring generous gifts.

The word about the author of the monument

The creation of a monument by sculptor Martos Ivan Petrovich coincided with the rise of the patriotic consciousness of the people during the war with Napoleonic troops. After manufacturing the monument was transported to Moscow from St. Petersburg by river routes. In the figures created by bronze, the author of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky invested civilian pathos and patriotism. For this work, I.P. Martos was granted an annual lifelong pension and the title of a valid State Councilor. Working on the sculpture from 1804 to 1817, Martos created his best work, embodying his patriotic ideals.

Being in the rank of academician and rector of sculpture in the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, in the specified years Martos was engaged in the manufacture of tombstones. His art is represented by memorial plastics in complex sculptural compositions for the tombstones of the aristocracy. Monument to Minin and Pozharsky, the description and project of which is based on a plot taken from an ancient engraving, won a difficult contest.

Monument to the Russian unity

Monument to Minin and Pozharsky, his description in the handbooks has long been considered a visiting card of the capital of Russia. Minin, raising his hand high in the call-up gesture, convinces Pozharsky to lead the people's army. The voevoda, not looking at the wounds, rises, leaning on his shield. His posture symbolically shows the awakening of people's self-consciousness in troubled and difficult times for Russia.

Meaning

Minin's upraised hand urges not only Pozharsky to take action. This is a kind of appeal to the entire Russian people, a call for struggle.

The mood and the will of people visually convey the monument to Minin and Pozharsky created on the donated by the public. The description of the manly face of Minin, despite his truly peasant hairstyle, suggests that he resembles Zeus in his determination. Antique chitons of characters are trimmed with traditional Russian patterns on the edge, which gives them a resemblance to a Russian shirt.

In the figure weakened by the wounds of Pozharsky clearly shows a decisive response to the exhortations of a comrade-in-arms to lead an army of popular resistance. With one hand leaning on his shield with the image of the Savior, the Voyevoda rises from his lodge. His second hand lies on the sword stretched out by Minin. Their hands touch and cross on it. The image of this gesture symbolically links the figures of the soldiers, pointing to their unity.

Where does the plot for sculpture come from?

The sculptor of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky embodied in bronze the plot taken from an ancient engraving. The work of an unknown author was dedicated to the victory of Russian militiamen in the Polish-Russian war of 1605-1613. In these troubled times, power over the Russian throne passed from one source to another. It came to the point that a certain prince gave the native Russian lands to Sweden for military foreign assistance. False Dmitry, the heirs of the thrones fought among themselves. Military coups and murders of direct heirs ruled in the state.

By the beginning of the 17th century, all the direct descendants of Daniel Moskovsky were dead or died in battle. Delezhka power led to turmoil and uprisings of cities. Almost every boyar wanted to become a king. Pretenders, using the name of the murdered Tsarevich Dmitry, collected troops and waged military actions to seize the throne and Moscow.

False Dmitry I, II, III, the Polish army and the Swedish claims to the Russian lands

Discontent, conspiracies and anarchy reigned in Russia after the death of Boris Godunov. Specific princes fought among themselves. Pretenders, hiding behind the name of the prince, recruited Polish Poles in the army, who participated in rebellion against their king. They did not have a way home, to Poland.

The King of Poland, having views of the Russian throne and the earth, used the situation in his favor. Having overthrown Shuisky, who was sitting on the throne, the Moscow boyars let the Polish army into the city. Under the Poles were Borisov, Bereya, Mozhaisk. Complete disorder and anarchy reigned in the country.

The Swedish authorities, having offered their help to the Russians, demanded Livonia (Karelia). Subsequently, the Swedes captured coastal areas of the White and Barents seas, seized Ladoga, Oreshek, Tikhvin.

Militia

It was at this time that Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky organized a people's militia in Nizhny Novgorod. It was a regular army, consisting of servicemen and nobles.

The wise Prince Pozharsky diplomatically reached an agreement with the Swedes and succeeded in knocking out Polish noblemen from Moscow along with several dozen traitors-boyars. He was joined by the princes of several cities. A great mistake Pozharsky allowed, dismissing the militia nobility. Armed Cossack detachments, having weaned during the war from normal peaceful life, destroyed Pozharsky and put Mikhail Romanov on the throne .

Moving the monument to a new place

Before the Cathedral of St. Basil the Monastery in Moscow a monument to Minin and Pozharsky was erected. The description of the events connected with the rearrangement of the monument to this place requires a return to the 30th years of the last century. The author of the monument chose for his creation a place in the center of the square, in front of the Upper Trading Rows. In the sculptural composition Minin calls Pozharsky to raise the militia to storm the Kremlin, where the Polish gentry hid, pointing to the closed gates and the Kremlin itself. His gates opened after this assault.

According to one version, the current location of the sculpture was chosen by the Soviet government for the convenience of holding military parades with heavy military equipment of the Soviet Army.

Another version describes the reason for moving the monument in a different way. In the original arrangement, Minin pointed out to Pozharsky on the Kremlin with the Poles and their henchmen locked there. After the construction of the mausoleum, it turned out that Minin's hand points to the tomb of the leader of the proletariat and to the once-locked gates of the Kremlin. It is possible that both of these factors caused the "moving" of the historical monument to the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed.

Having established the monument to Minin and Pozharsky after the victory over the French in the center of Red Square , Moscow and the whole country in the person of the tsar recognized the ability and aspiration of unconquerable Russian people to unity, order and state integrity.