Sculpture "Worker and Collective Farm Girl". The author of the monument

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

2014 marks the 125th anniversary of the birth of the great Soviet sculptor Vera Mukhina. Her name is known to every person living in the post-Soviet space, because it is inextricably linked with the monumental creation of the artist - the sculptural composition "Worker and Collective Farm Girl".

Biography of Vera Mukhina

Vera Ignatievna was born in 1889 into a we althy merchant family. She lost her parents very early and was brought up by guardians. From childhood, Vera was distinguished by perseverance and perseverance. Her passion for painting gradually developed into a craft, which she studied for two years in Paris at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. The girl's teacher was the famous sculptor Bourdelle. Then Mukhina moved to Italy, where she studied painting and sculpture of the masters of the Renaissance period.

During the First World War, Mukhina worked as a nurse in a hospital. In the same place, her first meeting with the surgeon Alexei Andreevich Zamkov took place, withto whom she was soon married. The non-proletarian origin of the family often endangered the lives of its members. Mukhina's active participation in the country's revolutionary changes was reflected in sculptural compositions. The heroes of Mukhina were distinguished by their power and life-affirming power.

Vera Ignatyevna worked hard and hard all her life. Having lost her husband in 1942, she was very upset by this loss. An unhe althy heart allowed Mukhina to live a little more than ten years after her husband left. She died in 1953, not an old woman at all - she was 64 years old.

How it all began

During her bright and eventful life, Vera Mukhina created a considerable number of artistic creations, including paintings, sculptures, glassware. Unfortunately, most of the works remained unknown to a wide range of admirers of her talent. The main creation of Mukhina's life, which glorified her for many years, is the sculpture "Worker and Collective Farm Girl". Vera Ignatievna herself called her composition “Worker and Peasant Woman”. In the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, the sculptor's creation was defined as "the standard of socialist realism."

In 1936, the Soviet government received an invitation from France to take part in the World Exhibition in Paris. The official theme of the large-scale event is "Art and technology in modern life".

It was very important for the Soviet Union not only to participate in an exhibition of great international importance, the country had to win the competition at any cost. The world was on the verge of World War II, and competition in the fieldtechnological advances actually meant a tough fight between the two world political systems. The main competitors of the USSR for the championship were Italy and Germany.

The victory of the idea of the sculpture "Worker and Collective Farm Girl"

The Soviet government set the task not only to create a grandiose technological and architectural project, but also to emphasize its ideological orientation in every possible way. In accordance with the long-term rules of the exhibition, the participating countries must design their pavilions in the national style. The Soviet project was designed to show the whole world the superiority of the domestic economic system.

Many eminent and venerable architects of that time took part in the announced competition for the design of the pavilion. The victory was won by Boris Iofan, who created a project in the classical style, the central part of which was occupied by sculpture. The High Commission approved the idea as a whole, but rejected the monument. The next competition was immediately held, as a result of which Vera Mukhina won.

The author of the monument "Worker and Collective Farm Girl" struck the imagination of the commission with the scale of the sculptural duet, distinguished by lightness and aimed forward. The simple features of the faces of the heroes of the monument attracted attention with their youth and spirituality, and the waving scarf symbolized the rapid movement towards a brighter future. The sickle and hammer raised above the head personified the unity of labor of workers and collective farm peasantry.

Stages of constructionmonument - difficulties and achievements

Now it was necessary to rapidly build the building in its true size. The sculpture "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" according to the author's plan had a gigantic height - 25 meters. Only six months were allotted for the implementation of the grandiose work.

The large size of the monument was intended not only to attract attention with its size, it was supposed to shine over Paris. Bronze or copper was considered as the basis for the construction of sculpture. These metals are distinguished by their solidity and noble appearance. But they did not provide the planned radiation, because they absorbed light. Therefore, the sculptor of the monument "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" Vera Mukhina decided to build a monument from stainless steel sheet.

First, the shape of the composition was hammered together from wooden bars, the surfaces were treated with carpentry tools and achieved perfect smoothness. Then, on top of the wooden base, the thinnest sheets of steel were laid out, the thickness of which did not exceed a millimeter. The steel shell completely repeated the wooden form. From the inside, the steel mosaic was fastened together with welds.

The selection committee, headed by the Soviet leader, approved the finished monument. At the next stage, the composition "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" was to go to Paris. For ease of transportation, the monument was divided into sixty-five parts and loaded onto a train. The total weight of the structure was 75 tons, of which only 12 tons were assigned to the steel sheathing. To transport the monument, tools and lifting mechanisms, threea dozen freight cars.

Rave reviews from Parisians

During transportation, unfortunately, it was not without damage. In the process of installation work, flaws were hastily eliminated, but exactly at the appointed time, on May 25, 1937, the monument “Worker and Collective Farm Woman” shone in the Parisian sky. The delight of the Parisians and exhibitors knew no bounds.

The steel composition delighted with its beauty and splendor, shimmering in the sun's rays with all sorts of shades. The Eiffel Tower, located in close proximity to Soviet sculpture, was losing its grandeur and attractiveness.

The Soviet monument was awarded a gold medal - the Grand Prix. Vera Mukhina, a modest and talented Soviet sculptor, could rightfully be proud of the result achieved. "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" immediately acquired the status of a symbol of the Soviet state in the eyes of the whole world.

At the end of the exhibition, the Soviet delegation received an offer from the French side to sell the sculptural composition. The leadership of the USSR, of course, refused.

Where the famous Soviet monument is installed

The sculptural group "Worker and Kolkhoz Woman" safely returned to their homeland and was soon installed at their permanent place of residence - in front of one of the entrances to VDNH (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). Today this territory belongs to the VVC (All-Russian Exhibition Center), one of the most visited places in Moscow by numerous residents and guests of the capital.

The author of the monument "Worker and Collective Farm Girl" Vera Mukhina is notapproved the installation site. Yes, and the height of the sculpture became lower due to the fact that the pedestal was three times reduced in size. Vera Ignatievna preferred the area on the spit of the Moskva River, where Peter the Great by Tsereteli now stands. She also offered an observation deck on Sparrow Hills. However, her opinion was not heeded

"Worker and Collective Farm Girl" - the world-famous symbol of the Soviet era

Since the Paris exhibition, the sculptural composition has become a national sign of the Soviet state, replicated around the world in the form of postage stamps, postcards, commemorative coins, albums with reproductions. The image of the famous monument appeared in the form of numerous souvenirs and in its popularity could compete only with the Russian matryoshka. And since 1947, the Mosfilm studio began to use the famous sculpture “Worker and Collective Farm Girl” in its screensavers, thereby establishing it as the emblem of the Soviet country.

Vera Mukhina is a recognized master of sculptural creativity

In gratitude, the Soviet government awarded Vera Mukhina the Stalin Prize. In addition, there were many more awards and various government benefits that the famous female sculptor received. "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" made it possible for Mukhina to enjoy complete freedom in her creative activity. But, to the great regret of the descendants, the legendary sculptor remained in the memory only as the author of the only monument.

In the museum of Vera Mukhina, located at the base of the pedestal of the famous sculpture, there are manyphotographic documents, newsreel, indicating that Vera Ignatievna worked hard and fruitfully. She painted, created sculptural projects and glass compositions. The museum presents many sketch models of monuments that the famous woman sculptor could not bring to life. "Worker and Collective Farm Woman" is not the only monument to Mukhina's work in Moscow.

Other creations by Vera Mukhina

The hands of a talented creator erected a monument to Tchaikovsky, located in front of the Moscow Conservatory, as well as to Maxim Gorky at the Belorussky railway station. The author owns the sculptural compositions Science, Bread, Fertility.

Vera Mukhina took an active part in the work on the sculptural groups located on the Moskvoretsky bridge. For her work, Vera Ignatievna was repeatedly awarded government orders, the highest Soviet awards, she was elected a member of the Presidium of the Academy of Arts of the Soviet Union.

Along with creativity, Vera Mukhina was engaged in teaching activities. Later she began to work actively at the Leningrad plant, creating glass and porcelain compositions as an author. "Worker and Collective Farm Girl" for many years of standing in the open air received significant damage.

The second birth of a monumental monument

In 2003, it was decided to reconstruct the famous sculpture. The monument was dismantled and for the convenience of work divided into manyfragments. Restoration work continued for about six years. The inner frame of the structure was strengthened, and the steel frame was cleaned from dirt and treated with protective chemicals that could extend the life of the monument. The updated sculptural composition was installed on a new high pedestal in December 2009. The monument is now twice as tall as it was before.

Today, the Worker and Collective Farm Woman monument is not only a symbol of the Soviet era, but a monumental creation of the talented author Vera Mukhina, recognized all over the world. The monument is a hallmark of Moscow, an attraction visited annually by hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world.