Peter Klodt, sculptor: biography and works

The ingenious sculptor Klodt Petr Karlovich from childhood was going to become a military man. And chose creativity. And he began to learn without mentors. And, by the will of circumstances, he became a first-class foundry. It was he who gave impetus to the development of this art.

He also made domestic animalistics a self-sufficient discipline ...

Family hereditary military

Pyotr Karlovich Klodt, whose biography will be told to the reader in the article, was born in St. Petersburg in 1805. The Klodt family consisted mainly of hereditary military men. This name was very poor, but well-born. So, the sculptor's great-grandfather took part in the Northern War and was considered one of the famous figures of those battles. Pope Peter was also a military man. He fought against the hordes of Bonaparte during the Patriotic War of 1812 and was a military general. His portrait is still in the gallery of the Hermitage.

When Peter was born, his father received a new post and headed the headquarters of the Independent Siberian Corps. Therefore, the childhood and youth of the future sculpture were held in Omsk.

It was in this Siberian city that he developed a craving for drawing, modeling and carving. When he was twelve, he already cut out of the tree horses. In these animals he saw an incomparable charm.

By and large this fascination has passed to young Peter from his father. He sent him from the army of paper horses, which were cut from playing cards. After that, at the slightest opportunity, the future sculptor always tried to draw and cut these animals.

In 1822, the head of the family died, and his relatives immediately decided to return to the northern capital.

Military service

Since the ancestors of the young Klodt were military, seventeen Peter decided to enter the artillery school. Frankly, very little is known about this period of the sculptor's life. He was seventeen when he became a cadet. Then, in a few years, he was promoted to ensign.

At the same time, when he had free time, he studied horses - watched their behavior, habits, poses ... In a word, he comprehended these animals as subjects of artistic creativity. He had no other mentor, other than nature. He also continued to pursue his favorite hobby - drawing or carving figurines.

In 1827, Klodt, already a lieutenant, for reasons of illness, quit his service. From that moment he focused only on his work.

Academy student

For two years, the former officer was engaged in sculpture independently. He, as before, worked with nature, copied antique and modern works of art. Once someone from the crowned persons presented the great emperor Nicholas I with a figure of a rider of wood. Since the autocrat was very fond of such "toys", he ordered to find a gifted author. As a result, Peter Klodt was in the Winter Palace and after an audience with the emperor became an auditor of the Academy of Arts. He also began receiving cash benefits. It was the 1829th.

Since that time the sculptor has completely given himself art. He began to listen to lectures, got acquainted with new creative people, copied sculptures in palaces and museums and continued to carve figurines of horses with hussars. By the way, in the 30's, these "toys" were literally in great demand. It is known that such a wooden statuette of Klodt was adorned at one time by the desk of the empress herself. In a word, the talent and tenacity of the sculptor inevitably brought real fruits. And even earlier than the young creator himself had expected.

As for the teachers of the Academy, they approved of his work, in every possible way helping him to succeed. But the direct instructor of the young listener was the rector of the institution I. Martos. It was he who introduced him to his house ...

Marriage on the Rector's Niece

In fact, Peter Klodt, whose biography is full of interesting events, became a frequent visitor in the house of Martos. After a while he even wanted to marry the daughter of the rector. But this did not happen. But he began to compliment his niece. Juliana Spiridonova - that's her name. Subsequently, she became a faithful loving wife and mistress of the house. Their wedding took place in 1832.

Three years later, the Klodt family had an heir - Michael. After decades, he became a very famous artist and periodically worked abroad.

First government order

After the wedding, Peter Klodt (sculptor) received the first government order. It is a question of sculptural design of the Narva gate, which is in the northern capital. The company was made up of experienced creative personalities, such as V. Demut-Malinovsky and S. Pimenov. Despite the fact that the young sculptor had absolutely no experience in monumental works, he managed to come out with a brilliance winner. When on the attic of the arch was already installed his six horses that carry the chariot of the goddess of glory, Klodt (the sculptor, the creator of this masterpiece) received not only the patronage of the Russian autocrat, but also worldwide fame.

In addition, after such a triumph, the 28-year-old self-taught artist became an academician of the Academy of Arts. He also became a professor of sculpture, and, besides salary, he began to receive an annual solid pension. And he was given a spacious apartment and a workshop ...

From Admiralteysky Boulevard to Anichkov Bridge

When Klodt worked on the design of the Narva gate, he received another order from the government. He must create two sculptural groups. According to the plan, they would decorate the pier of the Admiralty boulevard. His name is "The Taming of the Horse."

Peter Klodt was able to produce models for this project and delivered them to the Academy for discussion. The academicians were more than satisfied with the work of the talented sculptor, and it was decided to fulfill this order in full.

But as Klodt continued to work on the composition of the Narva gate, I had to endure a pause in working on the "tamers." After a while, when the first project was completed, the sculptor returned to the previous composition.

However, now he proposed to put sculptures not on Admiralteysky Boulevard, but on Anichkov Bridge.

The fact is that this structure was originally a wooden crossing, then a stone one. The bridge was reliable, but very narrow for a large capital. Nicholas I himself understood that reconstruction was required. And in this case, the Clodt's "Tamers of the horses" would be here to the point. In a word, such works would have given the bridge a very modern look. As a result, the reconstruction of the building started in 1840-m.

But even before that, the first group of "tamers" was already ready, and the founders were waiting for the team to cast a work of art in bronze. But the head of the casting yard of the Academy V. Ekimov died suddenly, without leaving, unfortunately, his successor ...

Caster

Without such a professional specialist casting was generally impossible. But in order to realize all the same, Klodt decided to direct the execution of these works. Especially the skills of foundry, he was trained when he studied at the military academy and at the Academy.

At that time he was considered the only sculptor who mastered the art of casting. Therefore, he received an offer to lead the entire foundry. Of course, he did not refuse. So for the first time in the history of art, a sculptor who did not have a proper education began to head a similar workshop.

By 1841, Klodt had already produced two bronze compositions and began to prepare for the casting of the last pair of sculptures.

But in late November of the same year Anichkov Bridge was opened after the restoration. Finished bronze groups were on the pedestals of the right bank of the Fontanka River, and on the left - plaster copies ...

History with gifts

In 1842, castings of the last pair were made. However, they did not reach the Anichkov Bridge. The fact is that Nicholas I summoned the sculptor. He said that he wants to glorify the creations of Klodt. And for this he decided to give already cast bronze sculptures to the King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm IV.

As a result, Klodt went to Berlin. A bronze gift was presented to the Prussian monarch. After that, the sculptures were installed near the main gate of the imperial palace. Wilhelm, however, did not remain in debt. He presented Klodt with a diamond snuff-box and handed him the prestigious Order of the Red Eagle.

On his return to St. Petersburg, once again began casting "tamers." But this time this pair did not reach the destination, because at that time in North Palmira, the governor of both Sicilies Ferdinand II was on a visit. The Russian autocrat demonstrated to the Sicilian monarch the creations of Klodt. As a result, Ferdinand liked how they were sculpted by Peter Klodt, and he asked to present a couple to him. So it happened. The bronze pair of the sculptor is in Naples, and the brilliant creator was awarded the next order.

Frankly, the same copies are in Russia. For example, in the Golitsyn estate and in Petrodvorets.

The top of creativity

Thus, from 1846 the artist once again cast a sculpture and completed the entire composition. This process, in fact, lasted four years. And in 1850, plaster copies were removed from the bridge, and bronze figures were installed in their place. Thus, Klodt (sculptor) Anichkov Bridge finally completed the design. The work lasted two decades. And the whole ensemble brought to the master an unprecedented success.

Of course, after the "tamers" Klodt created and other sculptural works. However, in the opinion of connoisseurs of art, "Anichkov horses" are the pinnacle of the artist's work.

70-meter relief

P. Klodt (sculptor) continued to work on the most important imperial orders. One of them is the restructuring of the service house of the Marble Palace. So, according to the project it was assumed that the entire lower floor is given for the stables, and the building that goes into the garden will become an arena. Accordingly, for the decoration was created 70-meter relief, which was called "Horse in the service of man." The author was Klodt. In this work, the sculptor depicted scenes of domestication of horses, road and hunting pictures, cavalry battles ...

The most soulful work

From other sculptures of the master the monument to Ivan Krylov stands apart. Recall, the famous fabulist was not in 1844. His death was perceived as a nationwide grief. The next year, through periodicals, a voluntary subscription was announced, connected with the installation of the monument to Krylov. Three years later, the necessary amount was collected, and the Academy of Arts announced a competition among sculptors. As a result, Klodt became the winner.

Initially, he planned to fulfill the order in ancient traditions. But in the end he created a truly accurate portrait image.

In 1855, a bronze monument to Krylov was installed in the Summer Garden. The fabulist was depicted surrounded by a whole menagerie of the characters of his fables. Worked on these images helped the master of graphics A. Agin, who at one time illustrated the poem "Dead Souls" by Gogol.

In general, this monument became the most penetrating and profound work of Klodt.

Monument to the Patron

After some time, the sculptor Klodt (his works are known far beyond Russia) proceeds to the last of his works. We are talking about the monument to Nicholas I.

By and large, the entire creative life of the artist passed under the autocrat, under his direct patronage. So who could leave the memory of him in bronze? Only Klodt.

As a result, the well-known creator of the Alexandria Column Montferrand was responsible for the construction. But to sculpt a statue, only Klodt could have poured it.

At the very beginning of 1857, the monument was laid, the next year the master began to cast a bronze equestrian statue of the tsar. Unfortunately, a crack appeared in the casting process, and as a result, a number of parts of the figure were not filled.

In 1859, a secondary casting occurred. This time everything was more than successful.

However, to deliver the statue from the workshop to the installation site, it was necessary to break one of the walls. There were no more problems.

Well, in June of the same year the monument to the emperor was inaugurated. This work has become not only a true decoration of Isaac's Square, but also a masterpiece of world art.

Anatomy

In addition to direct activities, Klodt Petr Karlovich, whose sculptures are known all over the world, developed teaching aids for the young talents of the Academy. So, back in the thirties he cast a famous "Lying body" out of bronze. In other words, it is the anatomy of a person who was created with the participation of one of the teachers of anatomy. A little later the master created and "Anatomy of a horse."

The sudden death of the master

An ingenious sculptor did not become in the autumn of 1867. The sudden death overtook him at his own dacha in Finland. They say that in the last moments of his life the sculptor Klodt (his works are recognized as masterpieces), as always, carved figurines.

They buried Klodt in the Lutheran churchyard, which is in the northern capital. And in 1936 the ashes of the master were transferred to the Necropolis of the masters of the arts. Then they installed a new tombstone.

Almost all the relatives of the sculptor, including his wife, remained at the Lutheran cemetery. Unfortunately, all the Klodts' graves were irretrievably destroyed ...