Alexander Nevsky - a great man and prince, a competent commander and diplomat, an example of spirituality and morality, played a huge role in the history of the Russian state. He was grateful not only to his descendants, but also to people living in modern times, many famous creators praised his image in art.
Alexander Nevsky: personality in history
Everyone who knows history knows a person like Alexander Nevsky. He was the Grand Duke of All Russia and did a lot for the development of a power that was strong in spirit and known for its power.
You can tell about the life of the prince for a long time, but it’s better to list all his titles that everyone will tell: prince of Novgorod, prince of Kiev, prince of Vladimir, military leader of Kievan Rus and the Holy Orthodox Church.
For his 42 years of life in the 13th century, the prince managed a lot, therefore, over the centuries, the image of Alexander Nevsky in art has been praised in many works. And starting with his contemporaries and ending with our days.
The image of Alexander Nevsky in art: a summary
Alexander Nevsky is familiar to everyone, and his name is always well known, streets, squares and alleys are so named, and for St. Petersburg he is the patron saint. However, not one image of the prince has survived to this day, and everyone sees him in his own way. His image from ancient times appears in various works of art, and you can only briefly list the directions:
- Old Russian literature.
- Fiction.
- Art.
- Cinema.
- Sculpture.
The image of Alexander Nevsky in works of art: description
Literature, painting and iconography, cinema and music, sculpture and architecture are different types of art that are so different from each other. But in each direction a significant figure is sure to meet, which defended its land and its people, showing itself as an example.
One can conduct a monologue for a long time and quote different people about what kind of person the prince was, describe his achievements, how often the image of Alexander Nevsky is mentioned in works of art, or each species can be considered separately to understand how important he is as a historical person.
Alexander Nevsky in painting
The image of Alexander Nevsky in art is found everywhere, and in painting he paid a lot of attention. One part of the artists created his portraits and portrayed during the battles, the other preferred to embody the image of the saint, which today many worshipers worship.
The first appearance in Russian painting is captured in the form of a miniature about the Battle of the Ice in the annals.
The famous prince Nikolai Roerich also paid attention to the grand duke , having painted several paintings by Vasnetsov, Korin and Moller, as well as Serov with his famous painting “The Entry of Alexander Nevsky into Pskov after the Battle of the Ice”.
Most artists depicted Nevsky during wars and battles, showed him a strong and courageous commander, under whose command more than one battle was won.
Nevsky in the work of Semiradsky
The image of Alexander Nevsky in art is clearly manifested in the paintings of G.I. Semiradsky. In 1875, he, as a student of the Art Academy in St. Petersburg, was entrusted with the task of creating four paintings dedicated to St. Alexander Nevsky. Over the years, they have been lost, but in the Russian Museum you can see sketches that confirm their existence.
The theme for the paintings was not chosen by the artist himself, but was discussed by a special commission that determined the following important stages in the life of the grand duke: when the prince visited Batu Khan, when he received ambassadors, the day of his death and the miracle that occurred during the burial.
Semiradsky was able to create spectacular paintings in which he attached importance to details. The canvases combined the skill gained in an academic school and the influence of the German artist Piloti.
Painted paintings, where the prince appears before the viewer as a young energetic ruler, did not fit the temple at all. It was difficult to guess holiness in the prince; contemporaries noticed this and even wrote about it in newspapers.
Alexander Nevsky and religion
Today, for all Orthodox Christians, Alexander Nevsky is a saint, to whom hundreds of thousands of people pray every day, ask for help and thank for the miracle that has happened. Already in 1280 he was revered as a saint, later the prince was canonized by the church. Alexander Nevsky is closely associated with religion, and this is expressed in various forms of art.
The Order of St. Alexander Nevsky was established by order of Catherine I, and in the USSR in 1942 another was created, which was awarded for services in military operations.
There are two of the most famous icons, one of which was created by Ivan Grekov in the 18th century.
The image of Alexander Nevsky in art was expressed in the construction of churches in various cities of Russia. In Moscow, on the territory of the military unit, the first stone was laid in 1995 and consecrated by Alexy II.
In St. Petersburg in 1710, the first stone of the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra was laid, the construction lasted long and intermittently, it was completed only in 1790. The cathedral was built in Petrozavodsk in the 19th century, although at first it was a church at the factory, built on donations from workers.
You can still list the temples, churches and chapels built under the name of Alexander Nevsky, but it’s worth mentioning the cities where everyone can see the holy place: Yaroslavl, Veliky and Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Pskov, Riga, Yalta, Tallinn and many others, located outside of Russia.
In the cinema
One of the important types of culture that preserves the memory of the prince, can be called cinema. In 1938, the film “Alexander Nevsky” from director Sergei Eisenstein appeared on the screens. It was awarded the Stalin Prize and accepted by the people, today it belongs to the classic paintings of the 30s.
In 1941, when the Great Patriotic War began, the film was returned to the rental to maintain the spirit, it was even more resounding success. Favorite and famous actors were shot in the film : Nikolai Cherkasov, Nikolai Okhlopkov, Andrey Abrikosov and others.
The film takes place in 1242. The battle with the Swedes ended, the Teutonic forces began to attack Russia. The picture ends with the battle on Lake Peipsi.
The image of A. Nevsky in art, including in this film, is very significant. The prince is shown as a hero who always tried to protect his lands and his people.
Literary works
The image of Alexander Nevsky in various works of art, including literature, was widely praised by writers and poets. The first mention in literature appeared thanks to a contemporary of the prince. “The Life of Alexander Nevsky” refers to the monuments of Ancient Russia, tells about the exploits and courage of Nevsky.
In 1977, a story was published about the events of the 13th century, when Novgorod repelled the German attack. The story is about the fate of a wise man, spiritually rich, who is a patriot of the Novgorod Republic. The story is called "Mr. Veliky Novgorod," she wrote D.M. Balashov.
An interestingly written novel-trilogy "Alexander Nevsky" from the author S.P. Mosiyash. The work begins with the description of the power of the city of Veliky Novgorod, its significance and purpose of capturing neighboring countries. But Novgorod does not give up, because the prince and the brilliant commander Nevsky stand up for his defense.
Music
In 1938, the joint work of director Sergei Eisenstein and composer Prokofiev began. The main task of the musician was to create music for the captured plot according to his ideas and opinion. Through music, the composer managed to convey the image of a hero who fought in fierce battles, all this combined with fine-pictorial episodes and song-choral scenes.
The embodiment of the image of Alexander Nevsky sounded very clearly in the work of Sergei Prokofiev, whose music was written in the words of the poet Lugovsky. It was expressed in such a work as the cantata "Alexander Nevsky", consisting of seven parts. Each part is intended for different performers: a soloist, choir or orchestra depending on the part: “Battle of the Ice”, “Dead Field”, “Crusaders in Pskov”, etc.
Historical monuments
The image of Alexander Nevsky in various forms of art, including sculpture, was expressed by many architects, today they can be seen throughout the country. The following are considered the most famous:
- The monument in St. Petersburg, designed by architect Valentin Kozenyuk and installed in 2002 opposite the entrance to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. The monument is made of pink granite, and the figure sitting on a horse is cast in bronze.
- In 1993, a monument to Nevsky was erected in Pskov on Mount Sokolikh, since it was in this city in 1242 that the Teutonic knights were defeated on Lake Peipsi. The creator of the statue is the architect Joseph Kozlovsky.
- In Veliky Novgorod there is also a monument erected in 1985 on the embankment. On the anniversary of the victory on Lake Peipsi, rallies are held to pay tribute to the great commander. Another monument is installed in the city center opposite the church of Boris and Gleb.
In addition to these monuments, there are also monuments in Moscow, in Rostov-on-Don, in Alexandrov (Vladimir region), in Vladimir and in Kursk.
Assessment of the personality of Nevsky and the results of his reign
Alexander Nevsky lived and reigned in the distant 13th century, no one can tell for sure how true information has reached the present. Historians of his personality do not unambiguously give a good assessment, sometimes the views are the very opposite.
However, in 2008 the prince was called the “name of Russia”, and in 2016 he became the heavenly patron of the Russian ground forces. It is difficult to argue that the image of Alexander Nevsky in art is present in many works that appeared at completely different times, he is praised and considered great.
However, reviews about this person are not only positive. Some historians express the opinion that the prince caused irreparable harm to the state, brought the Tatars to the Russian lands, making friends with Sartak, who was the son of Batu, and even betrayed his brother. But each person chooses what to believe in, and what has already happened cannot be changed.