Martos, known and unknown

Portrait in the work of the sculptor.

On the 250th anniversary of his birth.

December 15 in the Mikhailovsky Palace opens exhibition of works by famous masters of Russian monumental and memorial sculpture of Ivan Petrovich Martos (1754-1835), jointly organized with the Museum of M. University, the Mining Museum and the State Museum-Reserve "Tsarskoye Selo" the 250th anniversary of the master. The exhibition includes 10 works.

Ivan Petrovich Martos was born in 1754 in Ukraine in the town Ichnya Chernigov province. Sculpture, he studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts N.-F. Gillet. After graduating from the Academy with honors, he continued his education in Rome.

On his return to St. Petersburg became a lecturer in Martos sculpture class of the Academy of Fine Arts: Receives the title of academician, professor, and later appointed rector of the sculpture.

Most clearly manifested in the gift of Martos of the memorial sculpture. He created numerous tombstones of Alexander Nevsky Monastery, and the Donskoi Monastery: monuments, NA Bruce, ES Kurakina, AF Turchaninov, AI Lazarev, EI Gagarina.

Outstanding among the works of sculptor's memorial headstone belongs to the ES Kurakina, outflow from which is presented in the main exhibition, along with other timing repetitions tomb statues.

Mastery of Martos and a huge push his creative activity among the greatest artists of his time. Without it, it does not do nearly any significant public order.

For example, Ivan Petrovich took part in the creation of sculptural decoration of the Kazan Cathedral: Martos, is the author of a monumental bas-relief "eaten by Moses of water from a stone" (in the attic of the eastern colonnade of the cathedral) and the statue of John the Baptist, established a niche in the porch.

But the greatest glory Martos brought the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, which was established in 1818 at the Red Square in Moscow.

Along with teaching at the Art Academy in the 1820s Martos has performed several large monumental works: monuments Richelieu in Odessa (1823-1828) University in Arkhangelsk (1826-1829), Alexander I in Taganrog (1828-1831). From the documents it is known that Martos has also worked on a project of the monument to Dmitry Donskoy, who carry out the sculptor was not possible. He died in 1835.

Most of the surviving portraits of the famous masters of the first works collected in this exhibition are arranged within the main museum and the 250th anniversary of his birth I.P.Martosa. Portrait of sculptor plastic little studied, there are many losses and challenges the nature of the attribution. Some of the works for a long time had a different authorship, for example, a bust of Alexander I attributed B.I.Orlovskomu and sculpture GAPotyomkin-Tauride - F.I.Shubinu. Only relatively recently has been determined that they belong to the artistic heritage of Martos. Images I.I.Betskogo, P.A.Soymonova, A., and H.Lerberga I.I.Dmitrieva many years remained in oblivion.

The exhibition features not only exhibits the Russian museum, but virtually unknown until now works from the collections of the State Museum-Preserve "Tsarskoye Selo", Mining Museum, the National Library and the Museum of Lomonosov Russian Academy of Sciences. Visually representing the creative evolution and creative credo outstanding master of the Classical period, they are interesting from a historical point of view. After portraying prominent contemporaries, has left us far Martos meaningful images and N.I.Panina I.I.Betskogo, Grigory Potemkin Tauride, and P.A.Soymonova, A., and H.Lerberga I.I.Dmitrieva.

Information sponsor of the Russian Museum - Gallery "Museums of Russia".
General information partner of the Russian Museum - radio
"Echo of Moscow to St. Petersburg."

15 December 2005