From December 7, 2016, an exhibition “Sculpture in the assembly of State Museum of Alexander Pushkin ” is working in Moscow. Since the moment of museum foundation in 1957 this private collection from funds of the museum is presented to the public for the first time. At the exhibition there are works of plaster, bronze, marble, ceramics and other materials, some of the works exist in a single copy.
The exposition covers the period from 1837 till the beginning of the XXI century. Almost 80% of the exhibition – there are the images of Pushkin, the remaining part – the images of his contemporaries, and the people who have influenced on his work and destiny, or had been related to his family. As the exhibition’s curator Irina Safonova said: “Doing this exhibition, we did not set out to make a sculptural Pushkiniana, we wanted to show exactly a collection, what it represents. On this exhibition we are showing features of sculpture as an art form, how different sculpture looks depending on the material. Sketches, models, living monument “before” and “after”, how a sculptor works – this is what you can see. “
The exhibition space is divided into three halls, arranged in chronological order. Going from the hall, into the hall it can be traced how sculpture changed over time, what were the requirements for this type of art over the years. You can see the image of Pushkin from different directions, and how views of sculptors on the poet changed. You will pass from a realistic image of the XIX century through the middle of the XX idealized image and return to the present to the romantic image of Pushkin.
The first room is dedicated to XIX century. About the idea of this room Irina said that “the idea was to show how the sculpture lived in the interior”. All the works are standing on authentic period furniture – in the old slides and the windows, on the console tables and pedestals. On the walls pictures are hanging of the interiors of those years, that allows to dive deeper into the atmosphere of the XIX century.
Here are the works of such sculptors like R.R. Bakh, P.P. Troubetzkoy, A.M. Opekushin. There is also an unique work of I.P. Vitali (1837) – portrait of Pushkin in the wreath, cast in plaster. This image have not been repeated later, in the collection it is presented in a single copy. The pride of the collection is the model of the monument by A.M. Opekushin that established in Moscow, in the hall as full height model presented and unique model of the head, which exists in a single copy.
The second room is devoted to 1930 – 1950 years. “Here we are talking about the interest to Pushkin in the Soviet years. And, naturally, there was a surge of interest in 1937, the year of the 100th anniversary of the poet’s death. A characteristic feature of this time becomes an idealization, including the image of Pushkin”, – Irina commented.
In this room works are presented that associated with the exhibition in Moscow in 1937 and the competition for the Pushkin monument in Leningrad. You can see the works of M.B. Eisenstadt, M.D. Ryndzyunskaya, A.T. Matveev, V.N. Domogatskii, including his unique work of 1926, rescued from the destruction of absolutely random. It is presented a sketch of the monument to the poet in Leningrad authorship I.D. Shadr, whose work was recognized as the best in pre-war contest, but due to the death of the sculptor it could not be realized. And the work of M.K. Anikushin, whose project won the post-war contest. That is to his refine sketch a monument was set in Leningrad on Arts Square. Unique exhibit is also presented – a sketch of the Pushkin’s head authorship N.V. Dydykin that was made for competition.
The third hall is devoted to the second half of the XX century, “when the perfect image is gone. We start with the 60s “, – Irina said. This room presents works of E.F. Balashova, A.I. Posyado, L.M. Baranov, O.K. Komov, V.I. Dudnik, A.N. Burganov. Part of the works is accompanied by photographs of the monuments in the reality and each visitor will be able to compare how the project and the result is similar.
The exhibition will be interesting to all lovers of art and sculpture, and particularly interested in the Pushkin’s works and personality, as well as to anyone who interested in the history of our country.
The exposition will be opened until the end of March 2017 at the address Prechistenka, 12/2.
Source: Pushkin Museum
