Monuments reveal

Movie character Ellochka from the film ’12 chairs’. Monument in Kharkov, Ukraine. The tradition of burying actors outside the cemetery fence

The tradition of burying actors outside the cemetery fence
Mankind has erected a mass of boring and simply uninteresting monuments. However, few of the actors have been honored with a monument. In fact, more recently, the acting profession, to put it mildly, was not at all prestigious. Indeed, not prestigious so much that there was a tradition of burying actors outside the cemetery fence. Why?
According to one version, this is due to the prohibition of the church to portray the lives of others. According to the Christian world view, every person has been given one life since birth. So, one needs only to live his own destiny, and not to depict other people. Besides, according to the church teaching, trying on the stage different images, the actor not only tries other people’s destinies, but also takes the sins of other people. Therefore, plays along with the antichrist, and thus, sinks to basest sins.
Despite the roles that the actor played in the performances, after his death (along with suicides and people who died from an alcohol overdose) they were buried only outside the cemetery. The church believes that the actors even during their lifetime voluntarily killed their souls.
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Mikhail Grigorievich Wasserman (December 23, 1924 – September 11, 1987). Operetta king Mikhail Vodyanoi grave monument

Operetta king Mikhail Vodyanoi grave monument
September 11, 1987, the heart of People’s Artist of the USSR Mikhail Vodyaniy, called the King of the Operetta, stopped beating. With the participation of his widow Margarita Demina, on the grave of the artist appeared an unusual monument. The work of sculptors Alexei Kopiev and Eugene Olenin depicts the most familiar roles, embodied by the King of the Operetta.
Born December 23, 1924 in Kharkov, Mikhail Grigorievich Wasserman was the second child in a wealthy Jewish family. When Mikhail Grigoryevich was 14, their family moved to Kislovodsk, where he graduated from school and played in amateur performances. Relatives said: “The family is not without a freak. The eldest graduated from two institutions, and the youngest – a clown … “. Meanwhile, he took much after his mother, Anna Lvovna, who beautifully sang and had the gift of reincarnation. By the way, the surname Wasserman in translation means “water man” – hence his pseudonym – Vodyanoi (“water man” in Russian).
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Sochi. Poem character Tsokotukha the Fly monuments

Poem character Tsokotukha the Fly monuments

Mukha-Tsokotukha, Tsokotukha The Fly,
Gilded belly.
The fly walked in the field,
The fly found a coin,
Off she went to the market
And bought a samovar.
(poem by Korney Chukovsky)

Monuments to the main character of children’s poem “Mukha-Tsokotukha” written by Soviet Russian poet Korney Chukovsky are in several cities of Russia. One of them appeared in 2011 in the southern city of Russia – Sochi. The many figured monument consists of a pumpkin with seeds, and cut out of it piece turned into a cosy bench. As for the Fly, its figure decorates the bench. Besides, in the foot of the Fly is a coin, which, according to the poem, she found. Authors of installed in 2011 in Sochi monument are Vyacheslav Zvonov and Alexander Butaev. And the author of legendary Fly – Akop Khalafyan.
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The bronze sculpture. Installed December 23, 2008, the centenary of the first performance of Alexander Ivanovich Zass (1988-1962) under the dome of the Orenburg Circus in 1908. Sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov. Behind the Amazing Samson monument in Orenburg

Behind the Amazing Samson monument in Orenburg

Several decades from the circus billboards of many countries the name of Amazing Samson, did not descend. The repertoire of power performances of the Russian athlete Alexander Zass (1988-1962) was astonishing. In particular, he carried a horse or piano in the arena with a pianist and a dancer on the lid. Besides, he caught a 90-kilogram core, fired from a circus gun from a distance of 8 meters. Also, he could held in his teeth a platform with a piano and a pianist; lying naked back on a board, nailed with nails, was holding on his chest a stone weighing 500 kilograms, and more. In addition, in the famous attraction of the Man-projectile, he caught an assistant, flying out of the vortex of a circus gun. In fact, performances of Alexander Zass enjoyed great popularity. This is due not only to the original athletic numbers, but also to the fact that he was not like many of the strongmen of that time, who had massive figures and heavy weight.
His height – 167.5 centimeters, the weight did not exceed 80 kilograms, chest circumference – 119 centimeters, biceps – 41 centimeters. According to him, big biceps are not always an indicator of strength, just as a big belly does not talk about good digestion. The main thing is strength is will, strong tendons and ability to control your muscles.
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The tomb of Reina Ivanovna Sukhozanet (nee Godymin-Belozor, 1789-1823). Fragment. The beginning of the XIX century. Necropolis of the XVIII century of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. St. Petersburg. Unknown sculptors Russian cemetery monuments

Unknown sculptors Russian cemetery monuments
Ivan Onufrievich Sukhozanet (1788-1861) – Russian military engineer, general from artillery, director of the Corps of Pages (1833-36). Under Nicholas I was in charge of the system of military education. The brother of the military minister N. O. Sukhozanet, the owner of the house on Nevsky Prospekt. General Suhozanet was twice married. His first wife – Reina Ivanovna Godymin-Belozor (1789-1823), their two daughters died young.

The development of memorial sculpture and small architectural and memorial forms has never been a separate process, inherent only in this genre. Throughout its path, the artistic tombstones developed in the general channel of national Russian art, in a single stylistic framework, only slightly behind the pace of the development of civil monumental and decorative art. Rather, a little longer lingering on the positions of the previous period.

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The headstone of M. P. Sobakina. 1782. Marble. Moscow, Golitsyn Tomb of the Donskoy Monastery. Work by Russian memorial sculptor Ivan Petrovich Martos (1754-1835)

Russian memorial sculptor Ivan Petrovich Martos
The largest and most authentic singer of the elegiac theme, who dedicated all his long life and great talent to the Russian memorial art, was Ivan Petrovich Martos (1754 – 1835). This genre became the main one in his work. A convinced and consistent representative of classicism, he studied masterpieces of ancient art during his stay in Italy. However, the sculptor did not follow the path of repeating the seen samples, although he paid tribute to their perfection. He developed his own type of Russian tombstone, using the tradition of antiquity as the basis.
The memorial heritage of Martos is great – over twenty tombstones. Like no other, he was able to convey the deepest emotions. Under his chisel they are always humanly sincere. In the works of Martos, there is no sense of despair, characteristic to the most of the sculptors of the genre of cemetery sculpture. In creative searches, this remarkable artist strove to deep comprehension of complex human feelings. In addition, he fully used the plastic form, but never allowed oversaturation of its composition. Meanwhile, Martos masterfully solved the problem of volume, achieving in its construction the logical clarity and refined simplicity.
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Opened August 2, 2007, Black tulip memorial complex in Novokuznetsk

Black tulip memorial complex

There is a beautiful memorial in the Siberian city of Novokuznetsk – Black tulip memorial complex. But most importantly, it’s really a memorable place – always there are fresh flowers. Indeed, never deserted place, where along the very well-groomed and cozy memorial walk mothers and children, students and elderly people. In summer, you can hide from the heat in the shade of trees. For the present and future generations, it is an eternal memory of the heroes, of the countrymen! The square is very clean, light, and filled with an atmosphere of respect for the historical past of our country.
The stunning monument “Black Tulip” honors soldiers – residents of Novokuznetsk, who died in Afghanistan, Chechnya and other local wars. In fact, it is an obelisk and a mournful symbol – “Black Tulip”. Also, a golden cross with a bell, a symbol of eternal memory and resurrection, raised to a height of more than 16 meters from the ground level. In addition, on installed four memorial plaques engraved the names of 85 soldiers, who gave their lives in military conflicts outside of Russia. The authors of the project Alexander Brichev and Anatoly Petrovich Mitrofanov, and sculptor Victor Gusev. The grand opening took place on August 2, 2007 in the park near the Siberian State Industrial University.
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