Monuments reveal

Fragment of Bas-relief. Fable writer Ivan Krylov monument in Saint Petersburg

Fable writer Ivan Krylov monument in Saint Petersburg

In 1845, when Ivan Krylov died, almost immediately, began collecting funds for the installation of the monument in his honor. Citizens and municipal authorities met this idea enthusiastically. Soon, a special committee was established, which in the three years of its existence has managed to collect a huge amount. Once the funds have been collected, the Academy of Arts has announced a competition for the best project of the monument. So, in the competition took part the best sculptors of St. Petersburg. Choosing the best project took about a year and a half, and as a result, November 26, 1849 the committee approved the monument, designed by Peter Clodt. The sculptor worked on the monument for about five years, and in the spring of 1854 the monument was cast and began chasing the bas-reliefs.
They depict scenes from famous works of Krylov. Here you will find the fox and the crow, and a frog with an ox, and an elephant in the fable “The Elephant in the province”, and a rooster and a grain of pearl, and of course, the famous quartet of animals, musicians and many characters created by Krylov. Every image is expressive and naturalistic, which is not surprising, because the “models” for sculptor were very real animals!
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Sculptor Anatoly Shishkov with his creation Rooster monument, Belgorod, Russia. While it is in the exhibition hall ‘Rodina’, but it is possible that soon it will decorate one of the city streets. Photo by Oleg Goncharenko. Rooster monuments worldwide

Rooster monuments worldwide

A beautiful Rooster monument appeared in Belgorod. While it is in the exhibition hall ‘Rodina’, but it is possible that soon it will decorate one of the city streets. The author of the monument – Belgorod sculptor Anatoly Shishkov. According to him, he has created a rooster to the coming Year of Rooster. “A cock symbolizes the power, wealth, prosperity and pride of our region and Russia, it should go ahead. I did such a brave fighter, active rooster. It is looking for a victim. Hen”, – said Shishkov. According to the author, he found the model for the future sculpture at the local market, while he was watching birds.
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12 June, 2010 in the city of Belogorsk of Amur region appeared Monument to fish Amur sleeper

Monument to fish Amur sleeper

At the entrance of Belogorsk Regional Museum is a monument to the usual Amur fish Rotan. The natural habitat of the fish – the Far East, it is unpretentious and demonstrates fantastic vitality and cheerfulness. The monument is made of metal and hoisted on a base of 2 to 1.3 meters. The height of the monument is 2.5 meters. Weight is about one and a half tons. Besides fish, the sculptor portrayed the network and waves. By the way, monuments in honor of fish are very rare.
In summer 2009 Belogorsk administration announced a competition for the best idea of the monument. Residents actively participated and sent to the contest more than a hundred proposals. The author of the best ideas became a graduate of the Gymnasium of Arts Irina Lesnikova, who proposed to perpetuate the Amur rotan. Opening of the monument took place on June 12, 2010 during the celebration of the 150 anniversary of the city.
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Details of Alexander Griboyedov Woe from Wit monument

Alexander Griboyedov Woe from Wit monument

There is a book that many people did not read, but know it, and almost all without even knowing it. Because phrases from the book have become winged, and even went to a number of proverbs and sayings. For example, “Happiness takes no account of time”, or “Of all worst troubles, let lordly anger and lordly love avoid us”. All this is about the comedy in verse “Woe from Wit” by Alexander Griboyedov, the great Russian writer. No wonder, after hearing it for the first time, Pushkin said, “Here, each line will go into a proverb.”
Great writer Alexander Sergeyevich Griboyedov is the author of “Woe from Wit”, and the monument has immortalized his comedy. Around the pedestal, due to heavy folds of a theater curtain, are a string of his characters: smug and pompous gentleman Famusov; goofy, zealous campaigner Skalozub; malicious gossip Hlestova; obsequious Molchalin, prudent and limited Sophia; and cunning maid Lisa … Away from this company aspires Chatsky. He is full of anger and despair. And Griboyedov, attentive, mocking, standing on a pedestal, tilting his head slightly, as if listens to the voices of their characters. And the memorial plate reads: ‘Monument erected in 1959. Authors – sculptor A.A. Manuilov, architect A.A. Zavarzin, cast V.V. Lukyanov’.
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Monument to heroic dog Druzhok. Village Vladimirovka of Amur region, Russia

Monument to heroic dog Druzhok
The story happened in the village of Vladimirovka of Amur region, not far from Blagoveshchensk. Andreev family lived in it for 13 years. Water began to fill the house at 4am. They gathered in a hurry, taken just what came to hand. Waiting the flood out they went to stay with relatives in their city apartment. But they couldn’t take their dog with them. So, they left their dog in the village, with their neighbors, whose house was not affected by the flood. Every day they visited their dog to feed him, but on the third day he disappeared. So, they took the boat and and sailed to their flooded house to search for the dog.
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Monument in Krasnoyarsk region. Waiting for its owner, dog Salty. The inscription on the pedestal ‘You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed’. Sad abandoned dog Monuments

Sad abandoned dog Monuments
Sad abandoned dog Monuments continue to appear throughout Russia. And one of them – in Sosnovoborsk of Krasnoyarsk region in Siberia. The inscription on the pedestal ‘You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed’ is a quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, from his “The Little Prince”. The monument to stray dogs was established in July, on the new constructing Jubilee street outside Square of Lenin Komsomol. Sculptor recreated the image of the dog breed Irish Setter in full growth from concrete-polymer. The dog with sad eyes as if lay for a moment, expecting for the owner to come and take him home. According to local administration, it is very important that people did not make pets into homeless, because, as in any city, they have a problem of stray dogs. And now, the residents of Sosnovoborsk come up with the name for the dog, after a number of individual proposals on the city website: “There was such a good Soviet film “Dog Salty”. So, now the dog’s name is Salty.
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‘Do not cut the branch on which you sit, – recalls the eponymous monument in Yakutsk. English equivalent – Don’t bite the hand that feeds you

Do not cut the branch on which you sit Monument

Installed in the northern Russian city monument, is in fact, the illustration of the popular wisdom “Do not cut the branch on which you sit”. And thus, one of the craziest ideas of sculptors embodied in the old Russian proverb. The monument decorates one of the main streets in Yakutsk, Republic of Sakha. The monument is a graceful tree that stretched out its branches in different directions. On one of the knots – an unknown man with a sad face. With a hacksaw in his hands, despite the well-known ending, a bronze hero is diligently doing his job. Funny monument attracts many tourists and collectors of unusual places. To the monument literally flood the guests of the city, thanks to its strategic location. Almost everyone tries to climb up next to the frozen figure and capture an outstanding moment. Although the city administration does not approve such actions, to drive away all comers is not always possible. Anyway, the plate next to the monument reminds politely not to touch the work of art.
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