Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli was born in 1678 in Florence, in a poor noble family. He chose sculpture as his vocation, in which he was supported by his parents. Bartolomeo Carlo studied sculptural skill in his hometown.
At the age of 20, the young Rastrelli arrived in Rome. Here he lived only a year, as he could not find work. Apparently, it was in Rome that he met his wife, whom he married in Florence. From there they went to France, leaving Italy forever. In Paris, in 1700, a son was born to Bartolomeo Carlo - Francesco, the future great Petersburg architect.
Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli lived in France for 16 years without creating anything great. Of the famous creations of this period, the sculptor can name only the tombstone of the former royal minister Simon Arno. However, the French reacted to this work of Rastrelli with coolness. But he managed to get county title and the Order of John Lateran.
In the autumn of 1715, King Louis XIV died. Many architects and sculptors found themselves out of work in France, as the monarch who replaced him was too young. Russian residents took advantage of this. On October 19, 1715, Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli signed an agreement with Ivan Lefort, adviser in Paris to the service of His Royal Majesty Peter I. The contract stated that “Mr. Rastrelli Florensky undertakes to go to St. Petersburg with his son and his student and work there in the service of his royal majesty for three years ... ".
Immediately upon arrival in Russia, on February 16, 1716, Bartolomeo Rastrelli met with Peter I. The Tsar expressed to him his wishes regarding the construction of a palace in Strelna. The architect enthusiastically set about designing the palace. The production of his model began, the digging of canals in the future park.
In the same 1716, Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli was commissioned to create a project for an equestrian monument to Peter I. The sculptor worked on the model of the monument for five years.
The outbuilding became the first St. Petersburg address of the Italians former home Kirill Narshykin on Second Coastal Street. Later they moved to French Street, which was located on Vasilyevsky Island.
Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli dreamed of becoming the chief architect of the new Russian capital. He hatched plans not only for construction in Strelna, but also conceived grandiose works in Peterhof, planned to create a layout of the streets of Vasilyevsky Island. However, Peter I invited the Frenchman Leblon to the post of chief architect. On August 9, 1716, Leblon gathered all St. Petersburg architects and announced his intentions, plans for the improvement of the city. All Petersburg architects entered into his submission and could not build anything without his consent. Count Rastrelli Sr. could not endure such a thing and made a scandal at the meeting.
Leblon did not tolerate his non-recognition as an Italian. He began to complain to the tsar about his offender, which is why Rastrelli was removed from work in Strelna. This turn of events finally quarreled between Leblon and Rastrelli. Once, passing by the Italian's house, Leblon's carriage was stopped and Rastrelli's assistants began to prove the correctness of their master with their fists. The Frenchman was saved from reprisal only by the promptness of those who accompanied him.
Leblon did not develop relations with Prince Menshikov either. Alexander Danilovich hushed up the scandal, which was facilitated by the bust of Menshikov made by Bartolomeo Carlo. The royal decision was the following: Rastrelli must complete the creation of a model of the Strelna Palace, later in the sovereign construction affairs not to participate, to engage only in sculpture. Soon, Peter I ordered the Rastrelli family to move to a house on First Coastal Street (now Shpalernaya), where a house was ready for him to live and work. This building originally belonged to Tsarina Marfa Matveevna, the widow of the elder brother of Peter I. It was adjacent to the house of Tsarevich Alexei, on the other side of which, in former palace Peter I's sister Natalya Alekseevna housed the Office of City Affairs, which dealt with the affairs of all foreign masters.
Rastrelli's housewarming party was celebrated in the summer of 1717. Then the wife of the sculptor moved to St. Petersburg. Her delay, apparently, is due to the birth in 1716 of another son of Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli, who was also named Bartolomeo. In 1736, Bartolomeo Jr. applied for admission to the service, but it was not granted. Information about Bartolomeo Jr. is given in the book "St. Petersburg of the 18th century" by the historian K.V. Malinovsky.
The Italian architect Niccolo Michetti lived in the courtyard stone outbuilding of the Rastrelli house in 1721-1723. After his flight from St. Petersburg, the Russian architect Mikhail Zemtsov settled here. Rastrelli's house was visited by his colleagues, including Domenico Trezzini, Gaetano Chiaveri.
In 1723, Bartolomeo Carlo created a bronze bust of Peter I.
In November 1724, Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli, at the request of the Office of Buildings, characterized the architect Zemtsov. The sculptor wrote the following review:
“He is unquestioningly worthy of being a complete and real architect ... he is worthy of being awarded a salary of 1,500 rubles a year for his past and present works, for he bears the same position as the architect Miketty.”
Francesco Bartolomeo helped his father in everything, thus receiving an education. Together they worked in the palace of Admiral Fyodor Apraksin, decorated the hall of the palace of the vice-president of the College of Foreign Affairs, Baron Pyotr Shafirov, and worked for other noble Petersburgers. Subsequently, many of the joint works of Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli will attribute to himself, without indicating Bartolomeo Carlo in the description of his works.
With the accession to the Russian throne of Anna Ioannovna, the affairs of the Rastrelli family went uphill. The new empress wanted to live in luxury, which means that she needed the masters of magnificent baroque more than ever. Especially for an audience with Anna Ioannovna, Bartolomeo Carlo and his son went to Moscow. On March 20, 1730, Bartolomeo Carlo asked the Chancellery from the buildings to take care of his house, but without waiting for the reaction of the Chancellery, he left St. Petersburg.
The Russian Empress received Rastrelli at the end of May. He brought with him a wax bust of her mother, Tsaritsa Praskovya Feodorovna. As a result of the meeting, Rastrelli was instructed to build a palace in the Kremlin, opposite the arsenal (arsenal). The German architect Schedel was assigned as assistant to the Italian. On June 13, Rastrelli submitted a construction estimate. Work began in early July. For speed, it was decided to build a new palace (Annenhof) wooden, on one floor.
- November 10, 1730 Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli was appointed court architect. He was ordered to hand over any stone building belonging to Her court Imperial Majesty. The architect's salary under the contract was 800 rubles a year. The contract was extended in 1734 by setting a salary of 1,500 rubles a year. Bartolomeo Carlo in documents of the same time is called a sculptor-architect and an architect-sculptor. But still, first of all, he succeeded in sculpture. Architectural solutions, most likely, in the works of Rastrelli in large part belonged to his son Francesco Bartolomeo.
- On January 19, 1731, Rastrelli was ordered to build a new Annenhof in Lefortovo. This palace received the owners in the fall. Immediately after the housewarming, Anna Ioannovna decided to move to St. Petersburg. Rastrelli was sent there to arrange a new residence.
The Winter Palace of Anna Ioannovna is located opposite the Admiralty, including the walls of the Apraksin Palace.
Working for the Empress, Rastrelli received the support of her German favorites, including Biron and Munnich. The first of them, for the construction of his palace in Ruenthal in 1735, invited Rastrelli Jr., who plunged into independent work. Rastrelli Sr. supervised the construction summer house Anna Ioannovna, while simultaneously creating a project for the Winter Palace.
In the 1730s the Rastrelli family grew. Married Francesco Bartolomeo, Bartolomeo Carlo had grandchildren. The Italians needed a more spacious dwelling, which they received on the same First Coastal Street, near the Church of All Who Sorrow - former house Senator Yury Yuryevich Trubetskoy.
By 1740 Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli created bronze sculpture- the figure of Empress Anna Ioannovna. By the beginning of the 1740s, he was ready to cast a monument to Peter I, but did not have time to do it. Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli passed away on November 18, 1744.
His trace in the art of Russia.
Initially, Rastrelli worked primarily as an architect. He worked on the planning of St. Petersburg. But soon the French architect J.B. Leblon pushed Rastrelli aside as an architect. Therefore, Rastrelli was able to show his talent only in the field of sculpture. But there is no evil without good. In his sculptural portraits, he managed to combine the magnificent baroque pomp, which so well corresponded to the victorious spirit of the reign of Peter the Great, with a thoughtful insight into human soul, which also met the tasks of the era, with its interest in an active personality. Working on portraits, Rastrelli carefully studies nature, seeks to convey the most characteristic personality traits.
His works (not preserved).
- 1. Bronze figures based on Aesop's fables. They were placed on the left bank of the Neva and were subsequently presented by Catherine II to Counts Osterman and Betsky, who ordered them to be transfused; thus they are destroyed.
- 2. Bronze bust of the first Russian soldier S.L. Bukhvostov, cast by Rastrelli on the orders of the reformer of Russia
- 3. Lead statues of work that adorned the alleys and fountains of the Summer and Peterhof gardens.
His works (preserved).
- 4. Bronze bust of Peter the Great, kept in the so-called Apollonian Hall of the Winter Palace
- 5. "Wax person" of Peter I - a life-size painted figure dressed in Peter's clothes.
- 6. Two busts of Peter I: one in wood - for a military ship, the other - from gilded lead
- 7. Statue of Peter I on horseback and bas-reliefs of the Peter's monument on the square in front of the Engineer's Castle.
The first equestrian monument in Russian art took a long time to create. First, a small model of the future monument was made, and in 1724 the model appeared in its final form. But only twenty years later, after the death of the sculptor, with the participation of his son, the architect F.B. Rastrelli, the statue was cast in bronze. In 1800, Paul I erected a monument in front of the Mikhailovsky Castle. There he stands to this day with the inscription "Great-grandfather - great-grandson." Bronze statue of Empress Anna Ioannovna accompanied by a page (“Anna Ioannovna with a black child”).
Unrealized project. sculptural monument to Rastrelli
Peter I decided to stage in St. Petersburg triumphal pillar, like the Roman column of Trajan. It was supposed to perpetuate Russia's victories in the Northern War of 1700-1721. This pillar was a huge column, surrounded by bas-reliefs on the themes of events Northern war. At the top of the column was supposed to be a statue of Peter I. Work on the architecture of the column was first carried out by K.B. Rastrelli. It is possible that he began to carry out the model and part of the bas-reliefs. But after the death of Peter I, his Catherine I, who became empress. handed over the job to someone else. It is difficult for researchers to determine which part of the work was done by Rastrelli and which by the Narts. Nevertheless, the solution of this peculiar monument is characteristic of Rastrelli's work. After Peter's death, the column became known as the "Pillar of Memory of Peter I and the Great Northern War". The idea was not realized. Only a model was made, and then not completely. In 1938, the model was reconstructed, and now it is in the Hermitage.
Development secular painting dates from the 18th century. Along with it, such an art form as sculpture became widespread. Sculpture was something new, previously unknown. It was believed that this is a demonic manifestation - Orthodox Church promoted this statement to the masses.
Sculpture, as an art form, is distinguished by the fact that it is a three-dimensional image. Spread not only portrait genre, like a bust of Peter 1 Rastrelli, but also everyday, mythological and animalistic (image of animals). As well as allegorical (the embodiment of ideas and concepts through images), historical and other genres of painting. This article presents such a genre of sculpture as a portrait, using the example of Carlo's work - a bust of Peter 1.
A little about the sculptor
Rastrelli is an 18th century Italian sculptor. He originally lived at the court Louis XIV, and in 1716 he was invited by Peter I to Petersburg, where he studied decorative works and cast cannons.
The first creation of the sculptor was a bust, which is now in the Hermitage. Rastrelli also created sculptures based on the fables of the famous ancient Greek poet Aesop.
Other sculptures by Rastrelli have survived to this day, such as: Anna Ioannovna and the bronze bust of Peter I.
Bronze bust of Peter 1 (Rastrelli)
This sculpture is considered original, since the figure is depicted to the waist, while the bust is the bust of a man. It was not by chance that Rastrelli executed the sculpture in this way - thereby he wanted to elevate the figure of Peter 1 - so that he was perceived solemnly and majestically.
If you carefully examine the attire of the emperor, you can see that he is depicted in armor. Everything is in the best traditions of that time (generals, kings and statesmen depicted in armor). The plate depicts a scene of carving a female figure in armor from stone. Also depicted are a scepter and an orb, which symbolize the renewed Russia. The second plate depicts a battle scene - the Battle of Poltava, in which the entire power of the Russian army was demonstrated.
On the chest of the emperor you can see the ribbon of St. Andrew the First-Called. The Order of St. Andrew the First-Called until 1917 was considered the highest award Russian Empire. It was approved in 1698 by Peter 1 himself.
On the shoulders of the emperor is depicted an ermine mantle with floral ornament. It is made in large folds, as if falling from the shoulder, which demonstrates splendor and the presence of movement.
Having carefully examined the bust of Peter 1 (Rastrelli), you can see with what accuracy the sculptor depicted the texture of objects. The lightness of the lace scarf, the shine of the emperor's armor, the velvety of the mantle on the shoulders are noticeable.
The bust of Peter 1 (Rastrelli), the photo of which is attached to the article, is intended for three-dimensional inspection. If you look at him from the front, you can see a prominent nose, and on the left, Peter appears as a strong-willed person. If you look at the sculpture on the right, you can see traces of fatigue and anxiety.
The head of Peter the Great made of plaster, which was made in 1721, is considered the basis for the sculpture. There is another version of the bust of Peter 1 (Rastrelli). In 1724 the casting of the busts was completed and the bronze bust was made in the new Roman manner. The second was cast in the Caesarian manner. Rastrelli received permission to execute the busts of Peter the Great with the help of the Italian architect Nicola Michetti.
Second bust
This sculpture is a bust depiction of Emperor Peter the Great in the attire of a Roman emperor. By tradition, Peter the Great is depicted with a naked neck and in armor, from which a tunic sticks out. Gorgons are depicted on the armor, her face is distorted with a grimace of anger, and snakes writhe on her head. Her mouth is open in a cry of anger and intimidation. The depicted Medusa Gorgon is considered a pearl of skill of a Russian architect of Italian origin.
The bust, made of lead and covered with gilding, is now kept in Copenhagen. Such busts were presented to foreigners noble birth. One of the busts of Rastrelli was presented to the Duke of Holstein. Another bust was donated by Peter the Great himself to Frederick IV - now he is also in Denmark.
Lost works of the great master
Rastrelli was not only a sculptor, but also an architect. He owns the first project of the famous Konstantinovsky Palace in Stelna. Under the leadership of Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli, work began on digging canals and planting trees, but the project was given to the architect French descent Jean-Baptiste Le Brun.
Also, a bronze bust has not survived to this day. Russian officer Sergei Leontyevich Bukhvostov, who in 1683 was the first to enroll in Preobrazhensky Regiment Peter 1. This bust was made by order of the emperor himself.
In addition to this, in 1952 the cracker fountain "Oak" was restored, which is located near Monprezirovaya alley. This fountain consists of five tulips and metal wood. From them spray jets of water.
Conclusion
Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli in the bust of Peter 1 solved a very difficult task - he showed the emperor not only in terms of splendor, but also as a person with unshakable strength will and unbending character.
This bust can be viewed from two points of view. On the one hand, the sculptor depicted the great emperor as a typical figure in the era of transformations, various social change. On the other hand, we have a person with a complex character, with his own anxieties and experiences. Rastrelli portrayed not only politician but also personality.
Italian sculptor Bartolomeo-Carlo Rastrelli (1675 - 1744) was born in Florence, the son of a wealthy nobleman Francesco Rastrelli. Noticing his son's artistic inclinations, his father sent him to a sculptural workshop, where Rastrelli received excellent training. He drew well, knew how to work in bronze, comprehended art casting and jewelry, got the skills of architectural design, got acquainted with construction equipment and hydraulics, mastered the art of a theater painter. But he could not use his abilities in his homeland: the once prosperous Florence was going through a severe economic and political crisis.There were no orders at the papal court in Rome. Rastrelli returns to Florence, soon marries a Spanish noblewoman, and travels with her to Paris. There, in 1700, their son was born - the future famous architect. In 1707, for the manufacture of the tombstone of the Marquis de Pompon, minister of Louis XIV, which pleased the widow and many influential people, Rastrelli received the title of count.
He designs several tombstones that show features of the Baroque style, complex and dynamic in composition, with many allegorical figures. However, French critics said that the visiting Italian had a "spoiled" taste, since in France early XVIII century, classicism becomes dominant, alien to baroque forms.
But, despite Rastrelli's attempts to adapt to the French taste, no new large orders were received.
The reign of Louis was coming to an end, and many masters did not have orders. Peter I, interested in attracting artists to Russia, and understanding the situation, wrote to the Russian resident in France, N. Zotov, so that he would not miss the "necessary and good" masters.
In April 1715, Zotov began to negotiate with many masters, including Rastrelli. On May 1, 1715, the sculptor was already accepted under an agreement "with his son and student to work in the service of the royal majesty for three years in all the arts and crafts that he himself knows."
His duties included the design of palaces, salop. cascades and fountains, making statues from marble, porphyry and other hardwoods, casting sculptures from copper, lead and iron, making portraits from wax and plaster, as well as stamps for minting medals and coins, creating scenery and machines for theatrical performances. A special clause of the contract provided that Rastrelli undertakes to train students.
On March 24, 1716, the forty-year-old Rastrelli arrived in St. Petersburg and became the first of the great sculptors of Russia. According to the contract, he went abroad for three years, but stayed here forever.
Initially, Rastrelli worked primarily as an architect. He participated in the planning of Vasilyevsky Island and in the construction of the palace in Strelna, submitted a project for the Sonata building to the competition, made models of hydraulic machines for fountains, taught at the drawing department of the Academy of Spiders, and performed sketches for fancy dresses. and also sculpted. But soon the French architect J.-B. Leblon, who arrived almost simultaneously with Rastrelli and competed with him, pushed Rastrelli aside as an architect. Therefore, the versatile gifted Rastrelli was able to show his talent only in the field of sculpture and, above all, showed himself as an amazing portrait painter. In his sculptural portraits, he managed to combine the magnificent baroque pomp, which so well corresponded to the victorious spirit of the reign of Peter the Great, with a thoughtful penetration into the human soul, which also met the tasks of the era, with its interest in an active personality.
Working on portraits, Rastrelli carefully studies nature, strives to convey the most characteristic individual features. The first significant portrait work is the bust of A. D. Menshikov, made at the end of 1716. A year later, this work appeared in bronze, and in the late 1840s, the sculptor Vitali repeated the portrait in marble (RM).
Rastrelli repeatedly turned to the image of Peter I. Even during the life of the king in 1719, he took off his mask (GE), creatively interpreted it and created an absolutely reliable portrait. At the same time, a wax bust of Peter in armor was made. After the death of Peter I, by order of Catherine I, Rastrelli executed a "wax person" (GE) - a life-size painted figure dressed in Peter's clothes. Two last works interesting as a kind of "documents".
Genuine lucky Rastrelli is a bronze bust of Peter I(1723-1729, GE; version of the Russian Museum): an image full of indomitable energy, truthful and lively, very dynamic in form. B.-K. Rastrelli completed two more busts of Peter: one in wood - for a warship, the other - from gilded lead (Copenhagen Museum).
The portrait busts of Rastrelli are more monumental than easel works, since they convey not only the individual features of individuals, but the content and character of an entire era.
For many years Rastrelli worked on the equestrian Peter's monument. Back in 1720, by order of the king, he made a small model of the future monument. In 1724, the model appeared in its final form. But only twenty years later. after the death of the sculptor. With the participation of his son, architect F.-B. Rastrelli, the statue was cast in bronze. The monument was erected by Paul I only in 1800 in front of the Mikhailovsky CASTLE. There he stands to this day with the inscription "Great-grandfather - great-grandson." This is the first equestrian monument in Russian art, although it was installed later than the famous "Bronze Horseman".
In 1741 the sculptor completed work on statue "Anna Ioannovna with a black boy"(GRM), which organically combined portrait characteristic and monumental generalization. If in the image of Peter and his associates there is an impulse and burning, then in the named work - the personification of one of the most dark periods history of Russia.
Portrait work is not the only thing that Rastrelli left behind. He worked a lot as a master of decorative sculpture in Strelna, summer garden and especially in Peterhof. Creativity Rastrelli markedly affected. and on the development of medal art in Russia. Of considerable interest is the participation of Rastrelli in the work on the project of the Triumphal Pillar, the idea of which was put forward by Peter in imitation of the Roman Column of Trajan. According to Peter, the "pillar in memory of the Northern War" was supposed to perpetuate the military exploits of the Russian army, which led to the formation of the mighty Russian Empire. But after the death of Peter the column began to be called "Pillar of memory of Peter I and the Northern War."
The grandiose column, girdled with bas-reliefs on the themes of the events of the Northern War, was supposed to be crowned with a statue of Peter I. However, the Triumphal Pillar was never erected either under Peter I or his successors. The model of the statue was not even finished. Only in 1938 the model of the pillar was reconstructed, and now it is in the Hermitage.
Rastrelli belongs architectural solution columns. It is possible that he began to carry out the model and part of the bas-reliefs. But after the death of Peter, Catherine I handed over this work to Andrey Nartov, a talented carver and turner. It is difficult for researchers to determine which part of the work was done by Rastrelli and which by the Narts. Nevertheless, the patriotic idea of this peculiar monument is characteristic of Rastrelli's work.
According to the contract, Rastrelli was supposed to teach gifted people "arts and crafts." He tried to arrange vocational school sculptors, but there were no conditions for systematic studies. Nevertheless, it is known that the sculptor had many students and some of them became his assistants.
Rastrelli Bartolomeo Carlo- (Rastrelli) (1675 1744), sculptor. Italian by origin. representative of the baroque. In 1716 he arrived at the invitation of Peter I in St. Petersburg. Baroque splendor and splendor, the desire to convey the texture of the depicted material are combined in ... ... Art Encyclopedia
Rastrelli Bartolomeo Carlo- (1675 1744), sculptor. Italian by origin. He studied in Florence, from 1700 he worked in Paris, from 1716 at the invitation of Peter I in St. Petersburg. Starting with architectural planning work (the initial project for the development of Vasilyevsky Island, ... ... St. Petersburg (encyclopedia)
Rastrelli Bartolomeo Carlo- (Rastrelli) (1675 1744), sculptor. Italian by origin. From 1716 he worked in Saint Petersburg. Baroque splendor and splendor, the ability to convey the texture of the depicted material (“Empress Anna Ivanovna with a black woman”, 1733 41) are combined in ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
Rastrelli Bartolomeo Carlo- Rastrelli (Rastrelli) Bartolomeo Carlo, sculptor, Italian by birth. Around 1700 he settled in Paris, where he proved himself as a master of the complete decorativeness of Baroque sculpture (tombstone of the Marquis ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Rastrelli Bartolomeo Carlo- Monument to Peter I at the Mikhailovsky Castle Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli (1675, Florence November 18 (29), 1744, St. Petersburg) metal foundry worker and sculptor. Father of Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli. He bought himself a count in France and was summoned in 1716 ... Wikipedia
Rastrelli, Bartolomeo- Rastrelli, Bartolomeo: Rastrelli, Bartolomeo Carlo (1675 1744) Italian metal foundry and sculptor, father of F.B. Rastrelli. Rastrelli, Bartolomeo Francesco (also known as F.B. Rastrelli) (1700 1771) famous Russian architect ... ... Wikipedia
Rastrelli Bartolomeo Carlo- (1675 1744) sculptor. Italian by origin. From 1716 he worked in St. Petersburg. The works are characterized by baroque splendor and splendor, the ability to convey the texture of the depicted material (Empress Anna Ioannovna with a black child, 1733 41) ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Rastrelli, Bartolomeo Francesco- Wikipedia has articles about other people with that surname, see Rastrelli. Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli ... Wikipedia
Rastrelli Bartolomeo Francesco- Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli Years of life Date of birth 1700 Place of birth Paris, France ... Wikipedia
Rastrelli Bartolomeo- (1667 1744) Italian. sculptor and architect, studied in Florence with G. B. Foggini and in Rome, from the beginning. 18th century worked in Paris. Until the age of 50, he failed to create anything significant in the region. sculptures. R. received the opportunity to realize his talent in ... ... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary
Books
- Rastrelli, N. I. Arkhipov, A. G. Raskin. The Book of the Extraordinary sculptor Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli introduces readers to the life and creative activity creator famous works- a bust of Peter I, a pillar in honor of the Northern ...
District House children's creativity Children of the country Uykoal for the mini-encyclopedia "Creators of culture of the XVIII century in the stories of the participants of the Olympiad on MHK-2009"
Creativity Rastrelli Bartolomeo-Carlo
Rastrelli Bartolomeo-Carlo (1675 - 1744)
This is a sculptor. Italian by origin. In the sculptural workshop of Florence he passed a good artistic training. And all this was useful to him in Russia. where he was invited by Peter I to decorate the new Russian capital of St. Petersburg. His duties included the design of palaces, cascades and fountains, the execution of statues in marble, porphyry and other hardwoods, the casting of sculptures in copper, lead and iron, the production of portraits in wax and plaster, as well as stamps for minting medals and coins, the creation of scenery and machines for theatrical performances. A special clause of the contract provided that Rastrelli undertakes to train students. On March 24, 1716, the forty-year-old Rastrelli arrived in St. Petersburg and became the first of the great sculptors of Russia. According to the contract, he went abroad for three years, but stayed here forever. Here he became a leading exponent of the Baroque style.
Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli
His mark in the art of Russia
Initially, Rastrelli worked primarily as an architect. He worked on the planning of St. Petersburg. But soon the French architect J.-B. Leblon, pushed aside Rastrelli as an architect. Therefore, Rastrelli was able to show his talent only in the field of sculpture. But there is no evil without good. In his sculptural portraits, he managed to combine the magnificent baroque pomp, which so well corresponded to the victorious spirit of the reign of Peter the Great, with a thoughtful penetration into the human soul, which also met the tasks of the era, with its interest in an active personality. Working on portraits, Rastrelli carefully studies nature, strives to convey the most characteristic individual features.
His works (not preserved)
1. Bronze figures based on Aesop's fables. They were placed on the left bank of the Neva and were subsequently presented by Catherine II to Counts Osterman and Betsky, who ordered them to be transfused; thus they are destroyed.
2. Bronze bust of the first Russian soldier S.L. Bukhvostov, cast by Rastrelli on the orders of the reformer of Russia
3. Lead statues of work that adorned the alleys and fountains of the Summer and Peterhof gardens.
His works (surviving)
4. Bronze bust of Peter the Great, kept in the so-called Apollonian Hall of the Winter Palace
B-K. Rastrelli. Bust of Peter I
5. "Wax person" of Peter I - a life-size painted figure dressed in Peter's clothes.
6. Two busts of Peter I: one in wood - for a military ship, the other - from gilded lead
7. Statue of Peter I on horseback and bas-reliefs of the Peter's monument on the square in front of the Engineer's Castle.
B-K. Rastrelli. Monument to Peter I at the Mikhailovsky Castle
The first equestrian monument in Russian art took a long time to create. First, a small model of the future monument was made, and in 1724 the model appeared in its final form. But only twenty years later, after the death of the sculptor, with the participation of his son, the architect F.-B. Rastrelli, the statue was cast in bronze. In 1800, Paul I erected a monument in front of the Mikhailovsky Castle. There he stands to this day with the inscription "Great-grandfather - great-grandson." 8. Bronze statue of Empress Anna Ioannovna accompanied by a page (“Anna Ioannovna with a black child”).
Unrealized project
Peter I decided to erect a Triumphal Pillar in St. Petersburg, like the Roman column of Trajan. It was supposed to perpetuate Russia's victories in the Northern War of 1700-1721. This pillar was a huge column, surrounded by bas-reliefs on the themes of the events of the Northern War. At the top of the column was supposed to be a statue of Peter I. Work on the architecture of the column was first carried out by K. B. Rastrelli. It is possible that he began to carry out the model and part of the bas-reliefs. But after the death of Peter I, his Catherine I, who became empress. handed over the job to someone else. It is difficult for researchers to determine which part of the work was done by Rastrelli and which by the Narts. Nevertheless, the solution of this peculiar monument is characteristic of Rastrelli's work. After Peter's death, the column became known as the "Pillar of Memory of Peter I and the Great Northern War". The idea was not realized. Only a model was made, and then not completely. In 1938, the model was reconstructed, and now it is in the Hermitage.
