Mysterious Bronze Bulls created by Vasily Demut-Malinovsky
Mysterious Bronze Bulls created by Vasily Demut-Malinovsky
Plausible bulls materialized in St. Petersburg by the famous sculptor Vasily Demut-Malinovsky. Two colossal bronze figures appeared in 1827 at the main entrance of the Skotoprigony yard at the corner of the Obvodny Canal and the Tsarskoye Selo road. Animals towered above the passers-by, standing on massive granite pedestals. Of course, their realism impressed all Petersburgers.
Meanwhile, legend has it that one night to the architect came an extraordinarily realistic vision – they say, the bulls he created came to came to him to bow. The dream struck Demuth-Malinovsky. He said that the vision was bright and full, but could not understand what all this unusual visit in a dream meant. The sculptor shared his story with his relatives, but they could not interpret the meaning either.
After forgetting about the dream in 1846, Vasily Ivanovich died. Buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, along with other famous architects. However, the further events took place almost a century later.
In 1941 the Nazis came close to Leningrad, and in the city they began to save many sculptures from destruction. Among the number of works of art was the sculptural composition “Bulls”, which by that time had adorned the entrance to the new meat factory. Sculptures were of great artistic value, so the bulls were hoisted on a tractor and transported exactly to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Later they wanted to bury them nearby along with other important works of art, but something went wrong. As a result, all the war period the bulls guarded the peace of the dead, literally guarding the grave of the creator. And so revealed the hidden meaning of the dream of Demut-Malinovsky – the bulls still came to the master, whose hands created them.
Created in 1827 bulls adorn the entrance to Samson meat processing plant. By the way, in 1936 it was the largest meat-packing plant in the USSR. The bulls so harmoniously merged into the situation that two-thirds of the Leningraders were sure – they were sculpted for Samson. Almost age-old difference in age did not bother anyone.
Meanwhile, the bulls have a polished part of the bronze body. According to local admonition, a man who touched the genital organ of sculptures will have male power for a long time.