Ivan Petrovich Martos Biography

Ivan Martos. The sculpture “Chronos with the Book of Genesis”, the Italian period of his life was crucial for the further professional career of Ivan Martos. Under the influence of authoritative teachers, he became an ardent adherent of the ideas of classicism in art and remained faithful to the chosen style until the end of his life. Immediately after returning to Russia, the summer master was appointed teacher of sculpture at the Academy of Arts, and in the year he was awarded the title of academician.

Then Ivan married a young noblewoman named Matryon, who gave him four sons and seven daughters. Unfortunately, she died in the year from tuberculosis, leaving the children in the care of the widow. The statue of the acton from the Great Waterfall of the Peterhof Palace, even during his stay in Italy, Martos was carried away by the creation of tombstones and this type of sculptural creativity brought him wide fame in his homeland.

At that time, it was customary to decorate the graves with traditional Orthodox crosses in Russia. The young master decided to radically change this situation and began to offer wealthy compatriots services for the manufacture of majestic relief tombstones. Monument to Minin and Pozharsky in Moscow, a bold innovative idea turned out to be very successful. Unique works of art, imbued with deep sorrow and experiences, literally excited the elite of St.

Petersburg society. In the capital of the Russian Empire, a real boom began on the manufacture of tombstones, and Martos invariably received the highest paid orders. Growing glory and recognition contributed to the rapid development of the artist’s professional career. In the shortest possible time, Ivan Petrovich became the most popular sculptor in St. Petersburg.

In addition to the tombstones, the master willingly ordered bas -reliefs and statues in the antique style for decorating parks or palaces. The statue of John the Baptist in the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in St. Petersburg, a new stage in the artist’s creative career began at the beginning of the 19th century, when the idea of ​​creating a monument to the heroes of war with the Poles of two hundred years ago gained huge popularity.

Ivan Martos decided to contribute to a noble business and created the author’s project of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky in Moscow. Subsequently, he repeatedly made amendments to the original plan, and in the year the final version was approved by the tender committee. The monument to the Duke of Richelieu in Odessa, the opening of the monument took place only in the year, but this event became the greatest triumph in the life of a brilliant artist.

Ivan Petrovich finally established himself as the greatest domestic sculptor of our time. And later, Martos created a number of other public monuments that were erected in different cities of Russia. In the year, the sculptor was appointed rector of the Academy of Arts and married for the second time with his first wife’s niece. In this marriage, he had two more children, of which only his daughter Catherine survived, and his son Alexander died at the age of two.

The monument to Alexander I in Taganrog, in the year, the aging master resigned from the post of rector, which was soon accepted by Emperor Nicholas I. By that time, the sculptor had serious health problems, but continued to work in the workshop until the last days of his life. And on April 5, Ivan Martos died surrounded by his wife and other close relatives. With great honors, he was buried in the Smolensk cemetery of St.

Petersburg, where even today his remains rest under a modest stove. The monument to Prince Potemkin in Kherson, the most famous works of Ivan Martos, the great master created many unique masterpieces of bronze, marble and granite. And yet, the most famous works of Ivan Martos include monuments: Minin and Pozharsky in Moscow - a monument that glorifies the feat of the People’s Militia in the vague years of the war with Polish interventions.

Initially, it was in the center of Red Square, but today it stands in front of the church of Blessed Blessed. The famous Frenchman, dressed in the ancient toga, rises on a pedestal decorated with bronze mountain reliefs. Alexander I in Taganrog is a monument adorning the city center in which this Russian emperor died. The original monument was destroyed by the Bolsheviks in the year, and after 66 years an exact copy was erected in its place.

Lomonosov in Arkhangelsk is a masterpiece dedicated to the memory of the great Russian scientist and built for money collected by popular subscription.