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Pushkin Statue in Arts Square

Pushkin Statue in Arts Square is an outdoor bronze statue in the garden at Arts Square in Saint Petersburg. It depicts the man of letters Alexander Pushkin (1799–1837) with his right arm extended and the palm of his right hand raised toward the sky. The sculpture stands facing Mikhailovsky Palace, now home to the Russian Museum, and is aligned with Mikhailovskaya Street, which leads to Nevsky Prospekt. The work was created by Mikhail Anikushin (1917–1997).

Pushkin statue stands before the Mikhailovsky Palace with a classical facade and trees in the background.
The Pushkin statue in front of the Mikhailovsky Palace, part of the State Russian Museum.
© Vladimir Vyatkin / Владимир Вяткин · CC BY-SA 3.0
Pushkin statue on a tall pedestal in front of a columned building with trees nearby.
The Pushkin statue stands before the Mikhailovsky Palace, with trees and a few pedestrians in the background.
1974 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pushkin statue on a pedestal in a snowy park, with a yellow building and bare winter trees in the background.
The Pushkin statue stands in a snow-covered park with a grand yellow building visible behind the trees.
December 2017 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pushkin statue with an outstretched arm in a snow-covered park at night, with an illuminated building behind it.
The Pushkin statue stands in a snowy park at night, lit by a grand building in the background.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0
Pushkin statue on a tall pedestal in a park with trees and blue sky behind it.
The Pushkin statue stands on a tall pedestal in a landscaped park setting.
July 2018 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitlePushkin Statue in Arts Square
Typemonument; statue
Alternative nameStatue of Pushkin, Arts Square

Historical context

SubjectAlexander Sergeyevich Pushkin
Creation began1936
Purpose of commissionA monument to Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin to mark the centenary of the poet's death
Initial planned locationBirzhevaya Square (Stock Exchange Square) in Leningrad
Competition historyCompetitions were held in Moscow in 1937 and 1938 without a result; a third competition was held in 1948 with eleven proposals, and a fourth open round followed in 1949
Final site decided1940

Creator

SculptorMikhail Anikushin
Sculptor's age at winning32 years old
Sculptor's status at the timeRecent graduate of the Academy of Arts

Discovery and provenance

Unveiled19 June 1957
AwardLenin Prize, 1958
Unveiling contextInstalled in 1957 for the 250th anniversary of the founding of Saint Petersburg; the celebration was delayed because of Stalin's death
Ceremonial laying1949, on the 150th anniversary of the poet's birth
Final modelAnikushin later created a new, more finished model at his own expense after the commission had accepted an earlier version
Winning designMikhail Anikushin's sketch was approved by the commission

Physical characteristics

Heightabout 4 meters
Total height with pedestal7.90 meters
Basehigh pedestal

Materials

Statue materialbronze
Pedestal materialred granite from Kar-Lakhti near Saint Petersburg

Appearance

InscriptionAn inscription is present on the front of the pedestal, but the text is not specified in the fragment
OrientationFaces along the axis toward Mikhailovskaya Street, with its back to the Mikhailovsky Palace
InscriptionThe poet's name in Cyrillic script on the pedestal
PoseRight arm extended with the palm of the right hand raised toward the sky; face slightly turned to the left with a romantic, inspired expression

Location and ownership

Current locationMiddle of Arts Square, Saint Petersburg, Russia
PlacementOutdoor statue in the middle of the garden of Arts Square, in the Mikhailovsky Garden, city center of Saint Petersburg

History and restoration

Earlier planned installationA ceremonial laying took place at the original site, but the monument was ultimately not installed there

Significance

NotabilityConsidered one of the best-known statues of the poet
Heritage statusPart of federal heritage
World Heritage statusIncluded in the UNESCO World Heritage inscription for the Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg