The Bronze Horseman is an equestrian statue of the Russian tsar Peter the Great, showing him mounted on a rearing horse with his arm outstretched toward the Neva River. Sculpted by the French artist Etienne Maurice Falconet, with the tsar's face modeled by the eighteen-year-old sculptor Marie-Anne Collot, it was commissioned by Empress Catherine the Great to link her own rule to Peter's legacy and unveiled on August 18, 1782, after twelve years of work. It stands on Senate Square in Saint Petersburg, bears an inscription reading Catherine the Second to Peter the First, 1782, and became one of the enduring symbols of the city after inspiring Alexander Pushkin's 1833 poem of the same name, considered one of the most significant works of Russian literature.
Facts
Year Created LocationSenate Square, Saint Petersburg 1 Primary Material Commissioned By Connections
In Form
Equestrian bronze statue of Peter the Great.
In Movement
Falconet's equestrian monument (1782) is a landmark of Neoclassical sculpture.
Sources
1. Bronze Horseman (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationStatue section, casting paragraph
In 1775 the casting of the statue began, supervised by caster Emelyan Khailov. At one point during the casting, the mould broke, releasing molten bronze that started several fires.
lead paragraph, unveiling-date clause
It was opened to the public on 18 August [O.S. 7 August] 1782.
lead paragraph, commission clause
Commissioned by Catherine the Great, it was created by the French sculptor Étienne Maurice Falconet.
lead paragraph, location clause
is an equestrian statue of Peter the Great in the Senate Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Genre reference
The Bronze Horseman is an equestrian statue of the Russian tsar Peter the Great, showing him mounted on a rearing horse with his arm outstretched toward the Neva River.
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