The Bronze Horseman

The reign of Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855) was characterised by robust feelings of nationalism that coincided with a flourishing rebirth in art and literature. This atmosphere developed into a period known as the Golden Age in Russia. This renaissance was prompted by Alexander Pushkin’s (1799-1837) return from exile in 1826. Pushkin’s passionate emotions, expressed through his incomparable pen, led not only to his immense popularity and universal admiration, but also encouraged rebellious sentiment and activity. Although not directly involved in the Decembrist uprising of 1825, Pushkin’s words were quoted by the conspirators associated with the revolt as inspirational catch-phrases, which eventually led to the poet’s forced exile by Emperor Alexander I (1777-1825). The ascent of Nicholas I to the throne changes this. With his personal appreciation of Pushkin’s writings and recognising Russia’s political and cultural needs for a great national poet, Nicholas I granted permission for his return to Moscow.
Pushkin expressed his admiration of Nicholas I in various letters to friends and to the Emperor himself. This sentiment can be particularly felt in his Stanzas, composed for the newly crowned emperor in 1826. Long in awe and with enduring praise of the great reformer Emperor Peter the Great (1672-1725), in his Stanzas, Pushkin calls upon Nicholas I to live up to the great modernising leader of the 18th century.
The present painting by French artist Herminie Henriette Gudin masterfully captures the spirit of this new age of hope and nationalistic pride, and itself is an ode to Emperor Nicholas I. Gudin presents a dramatic scene with the renowned equestrian statue of Peter the Great in the Senate square in St Petersburg – recalling Pushkin’s renowned masterpiece of 1833, the Bronze Horseman. Here, there is a dream-like vision of angelic figures carrying an oval portrait of Nicholas I above the imposing statue of his predecessor. Various residents of the great city stop in admiration of the great Imperial symbols in their midst. In addition to the glowing divine celebration of the emperor, ghostly historic figures in supplication and in battle emanate from the distant fog, reminding the viewers below of the important legacy that defines their present reality. A troika rushes upon the square, an image that appears to reference Nikolai Sverchkov’s (1817-1898) famous works depicting Nicholas I in a sledge.
The daughter of the French marine painter Jean-Antoine Théodore Gudin (1802-1880), Herminie Henriette Gudin followed in her father’s footsteps and similarly became known as a marine painter. Her works were exhibited at the Paris salon in the mid-1850s. Russia had played an important role in the lives of the Gudin family; Jean-Antoine Théodore Gudin, a decorated artist of the French court, had traveled to Russia at the behest of King Louis-Philippe I (1773-1850), which resulted in studies of naval manoeuvres, and was invited by Emperor Nicholas I to execute a series of paintings of Russian ports. The present work was most likely executed during this period.

For more information on the collector Henry Penn Wenger, see the introductory text for lots 125-141.