June 4, 1965, on a sunny summer day, the grand opening of the monument to Mikhail Lermontov Yuryevich took place in his homeland - in Moscow. The ceremony was attended by poets, writers, researchers, students, schoolchildren and just workers. Congratulatory speeches and verses sounded from the rostrum.
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 metropolitan government adopted a decree on the construction of the memorial. But the outbreak of World War II did not allow to realize the idea immediately.
Only at the beginning of the 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 poet’s birth, the design of the first monument to Lermontov in Moscow was approved. Work began 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 were connected with this city in its fate. Here in October 1814 he was born. True, a few months later, at the beginning of 1815, he was taken to Tarkhany, to the estate of his mother’s grandmother, where he was brought up to 13 years old.
In 1827, Lermontov again settled in Moscow to receive an education. He first studies at a boarding school at Moscow Imperial University, and then enters the university itself.
Finally, the beginning of the poet’s creative activity is connected with Moscow. In 1830, in the journal Athenaeum, his poem Spring appeared. This was Lermontov's first publication. Since that time, he confidently entered Russian literature.
The first monument to the poet
Talk about creating 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 the permission of the government and collecting funds.
Then it was proposed to erect a monument to Lermontov in Moscow. But in 1880, noisy celebrations took place on the occasion of the opening of a monument to Pushkin there (the work of A. Opekushin), 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 cities of Russia. In 1892 - in Penza (sculptor Gunzburg I.Ya.), in 1896 - in St. Petersburg (Kreitan V.P.), in 1900 - in Serednikovo near Moscow (A. Golubkina). Twice an attempt was made to erect a monument on the site of the Lermontov duel in Pyatigorsk. The first project was implemented in 1901 (by A. Baykov), but after 6 years the sculpture became unusable, as was made of gypsum. A new monument at the same place was erected in 1915 (author Mikeshin B.M.).
Monuments M.Yu. Lermontov was installed in Tambov, Gelendzhik, the museum-reserve of Tarkhany (Penza region), in Grozny. It so happened that in the poet’s homeland, in Moscow, his memory was immortalized almost in the last turn. But the Moscow monument stands out among others in terms of both its mastery of execution and its spatial solution. He was largely innovative, but more on that in due time.
Choosing a place for the Lermontov monument in Moscow
The question of where the monument will be installed was quickly resolved. 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 in which M.Yu. was born Lermontov.
Lermontov Monument in Moscow: preparatory phase
The consciousness of the monument was preceded by many years of work. Competitions for the best project 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 satisfy them fully. Monuments of Lermontov, diverse in plot and form, were presented; photos could not be found, but a 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 ledge of a mountain. 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 the transfer of the poet’s internal state, using expressive gestures, turning the head, etc. But excessive expression, according to the jury, did not match Lermontov’s image.
The jury was interested in projects that proposed a spatial solution of 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 the victory. It was their project in 1964 that was approved.
Team of authors
Isaac Davidovich Brodsky was the most mature member of the winning creative group. He fought on the fronts of World War II, and after its completion he entered the Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts, where he studied under the famous sculptor M.G. Manizer. Before starting work on the Lermontov monument, Brodsky already had experience in the construction of monuments. In 1954-1955 he immortalized the memory of A.M. Gorky in Tesselli and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, made monuments to revolutionary leaders.
Two young architects took part in the work - Nikolai Nikolaevich Milovidov and Grigory Efimovich Saevich. They were responsible for the spatial solution of the monument, clarified its size, position on the square, analyzed how the sculpture would be in harmony with the surrounding buildings.
Researcher I.L. provided invaluable assistance to the creative group. Andronikov, without his advice and tips, the monument to Lermontov in Moscow would not have received such portrait and psychological accuracy.
Material selection
The figure of the poet, it was decided to make of bronze. This is one of the most traditional materials. Thanks to its plastic properties, it allows you to create very complex compositions, convey the smallest details. Monuments to Lermontov in Russia for the most part are made of this alloy.
A decorative lattice is also made of bronze, making up 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, different in 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. Enormous internal energy seems to be hiding behind external restraint.
Lively and dynamic sculpture makes interpretation of clothing. The figure is enclosed in a strict military coat. But gusts of wind scatter its floors and shake the collar, opening the poet's chest towards the elements. Stiffness and tightness in a vice are also symbolically expressed in the pose of hands clasped behind their backs. However, the poet’s head is willed towards the side in a sign that he does not want to obey.
A lot of effort was spent to achieve portrait similarity. The advice of I.L. Andronikova. The basis was taken Lermontov’s self-portrait, created in 1837.
