Peter Klodt, sculptor: biography and works

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

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

He also made domestic animalistics a self-sufficient discipline…

Family of 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 surname was very poor, but well-born. So, the great-great-grandfather of the sculptor 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 Hermitage gallery.

When Peter was born, his father received a new position and headed the headquarters of the Separate Siberian Corps. Therefore, the childhood and youth of the future sculpture passed in Omsk.

It was in this Siberian city that he developed a craving fordrawing, sculpting and carving. When he was twelve, he had already carved horses out of wood. In these animals, he saw an incomparable charm.

By and large, this hobby passed to young Peter from his father. He sent him paper horses from the army, which were cut out of playing cards. After that, at the slightest opportunity, the future sculptor always tried to draw and carve 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 young Klodt were military men, seventeen-year-old Peter decided to enter the artillery school. To be honest, very little is known about this period of the sculptor's life. He was seventeen when he became a cadet. Then, a few years later, he was promoted to ensign.

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

In 1827, Klodt, already a second lieutenant, quit his service due to illness. From that moment on, he focused only on his creativity.

Academy student

For two years, the former officer has been sculpting on his own. He, as before, worked from nature, copied antique and modern works of art. One dayone of the crowned persons presented the great emperor Nicholas I with a figure of a horseman made of wood. Since the autocrat was very fond of such "toys", he ordered to find a gifted author. As a result, Peter Klodt ended up in the Winter Palace and, after an audience with the emperor, became a volunteer at the Academy of Arts. He also began to receive financial assistance. It was 1829.

From that time on, the sculptor devoted himself completely to art. He began to listen to lectures, met new creative people, copied sculptures in palaces and museums, and continued to carve figurines of horses with hussars. By the way, in the 30s, these “toys” of his were literally like hot cakes. It is known that a similar wooden figurine of Klodt once adorned the desk of the empress herself. In a word, the talent and perseverance of the sculptor inevitably brought real results. And even earlier than the young creator himself expected.

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

Marrying the rector's niece

In fact, Peter Klodt, whose biography is full of interesting events, has become a frequent guest in Martos's house. After some time, he even wanted to marry the rector's daughter. But this did not happen. But he began to be nice to his niece. Juliana Spiridonova - that was her name. Subsequently, she became a faithful loving wife and mistress of the house. Their wedding took place in1832-m.

Three years later, the Klodt family had an heir - Mikhail. Decades later, he became a highly acclaimed artist and occasionally worked abroad.

First government order

After the wedding, Peter Klodt (sculptor) received the first government order. We are talking about the sculptural decoration of the Narva Gate, which is in the Northern capital. He was accompanied by 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 triumph with brilliance. When his six horses were already installed on the attic of the arch, which 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 in addition to his salary, he began to receive a substantial annual pension. They also gave him a spacious apartment and a workshop…

From Admir alteisky Boulevard to Anichkov Bridge

When Klodt was working 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 Admir alteisky Boulevard. Their name is "Horse Taming".

Peter Klodt was able to make models for this project and delivered them to the Academy for discussion. The academicians were more than satisfied with the work of the talentedsculptor, and it was decided to complete this order in full size.

But since Klodt continued to work on the composition of the Narva Gate, I had to pause in work on the "tamers". After some time, when the first project was completed, the sculptor returned to the previous composition.

However, now he proposed to place sculptures not on Admir alteisky Boulevard, but on Anichkov Bridge.

The fact is that this building 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, Klodt's "Horse Tamers" would be in place here. In a word, such works would give the bridge a very modern look. As a result, the reconstruction of the structure started in 1840.

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

Founder

Without such a professional specialist, the casting was generally impossible. But in order to realize all the same his plans, Klodt decided to manage the implementation of these works himself. Moreover, he was trained in casting skills when he studied at a military school and at the Academy.

At that time, he was considered the only sculptor who perfectly mastered artistic casting. Therefore, he received an offer to manage the entire foundry. He certainly doesn'trefused. So for the first time in the history of art, a sculptor who did not have the appropriate education began to lead such a workshop.

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

Well, at the end of November of the same year, the Anichkov Bridge was opened after restoration. Finished bronze groups were on the pedestals of the right bank of the Fontanka, and on the left - plaster copies …

Gift story

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

As a result, Klodt went to Berlin. The 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 snuffbox and presented him with the prestigious Order of the Red Eagle.

On his return to St. Petersburg, he once again began to cast "tamers". But even this time, this couple did not reach their destination, since at that time the ruler of both Sicilies, Ferdinand II, was visiting Northern Palmyra. The Russian autocrat demonstrated the creations of Klodt to the Sicilian monarch. As a result, Ferdinand liked the way Peter Klodt sculpted them, and he asked to present a couple to him. And so it happened. The bronze couple of the sculptor is in Naples, and the ingenious creator was awardedanother order.

To be honest, the same copies are in Russia. For example, in the Golitsyn estate and in Petrodvorets.

The pinnacle of creativity

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

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

70m terrain

P. Klodt (sculptor) continued to work on the most important imperial commissions. One of them is the restructuring of the office building of the Marble Palace. So, according to the project, it was assumed that the entire lower floor would be given over to the stables, and the building that overlooks the garden would become an arena. Accordingly, a 70-meter relief was created for decoration, 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 paintings, cavalry battles…

The most penetrating work

Of other sculptures of the master, the monument to Ivan Krylov stands apart. Recall that the famous fabulist died in 1844. His death was perceived as a nationwide grief. On thethe following year, through periodicals, a voluntary subscription was announced related to the installation of a monument to Krylov. Three years later, the required amount was collected, and the Academy of Arts announced a corresponding competition among sculptors. As a result, Klodt became the winner.

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

In 1855, a bronze monument to Krylov was erected in the Summer Garden. The fabulist was depicted surrounded by a menagerie of characters from his fables. The master of graphics A. Agin, who once illustrated Gogol's poem "Dead Souls", helped to work on these images.

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

Monument to the patron saint

After some time, the sculptor Klodt (his works are known far beyond the borders of 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. Therefore, who could leave a memory of him in bronze? Only Klodt.

As a result, the well-known creator of the Alexandrian Column Montferrand was responsible for the construction. But only Klodt could sculpt a statue and cast it.

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

In 1859there was a secondary casting. This time everything went more than successfully.

However, in order to deliver the statue from the workshop to the installation site, one of the walls had to be broken through. 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 St. Isaac's Square, but also a masterpiece of world art.

Anatomy

Besides direct activity, Klodt Petr Karlovich, whose sculptures are known all over the world, developed teaching aids for young talents of the Academy. So, back in the thirties, he cast the famous “Lying Body” from bronze. In other words, this is human anatomy, which was created with the participation of one of the anatomy teachers. A little later, the master also created the “Anatomy of a horse.”

Sudden death of the master

The brilliant sculptor died in the fall of 1867. Sudden death overtook him at his own dacha in Finland. They say that in the last minutes of his life, the sculptor Klodt (his works are recognized as masterpieces), as always, carved figurines.

Klodt was buried at the Lutheran churchyard in the northern capital. And in 1936, the ashes of the master were transferred to the Necropolis of Masters of Arts. At the same time, a new tombstone was installed.

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