Monuments Balzak in Paris
August 18, 1850. Paris said goodbye to the greatest writer of the XIX century, the author of the Romanov "Human comedy" Onor de Balzac. Victor Hugo in his speech at the funeral noted: "From now on, there will be no clouds that hung over our heads, he will shine in the constellation of our Fatherland".
Wells decided to perpetuate the writer in Monument on the streets of Paris. The implementation of this project was actively promoted by Alexander Duma (Father).
The first monument appeared on the grave of Balzaka, in the cemetery of Per Lashez. A grant for the creation of a monument that would be installed on the streets of Paris, was issued by the Society of writers under the control of Emil Zol only in 1891. Initially, Roden worked on the monument, but the capital was first decorated with Falgeira’s monument.
Tombstone bust writer
With the consent of the wife of Balzak Evelyna Ganskaya, the tombstone on the cemetery Per Lashez fulfilled the favorite of Paris David de Angers.
This sculptor is known for work on the decoration of the Arc de Triomphe "Cargo" and southern facade of the Louvre Palace. He holds the winner of the Rome Prize, was in thought in Italy and England, and today more than sixty statues, fifty bas-reliefs, one hundred busts, more than five hundred of medallions of his work are scattered throughout France.
On the bronze bust of Balzaku, the author left the inscription "My friend Balzaku".
How to find a monument: the main entrance to the cemetery with Menilmontan Boulevard. Nearest Metro Station Per Lashez.
Statue Roden
Having received an order for the creation of a monument to Balzak, Roden plunged into research. His work made it difficult that the sculptor never saw a writer, besides, a posthumous mask was not filmed with Balzak, relying on which it was possible to achieve a portrait similarity of sculpture. During work on the monument, Roden analyzes the few lifetime portraits of Balzak, rides in the native city of Writer Tour, where people who served as models in creating a bust. For the disclosure of the inner world of the writer, Roden read all his novels, letters, memories of contemporaries. He finds out the tailor, shivened clothes for Balzak, and orders a suit.
The author divided work on her head and torso. Refusing the idea of portrait similarity, he creates contrast features of the face, trying to convey the creative power of the writer. Testing addiction to Japanese ceramics, Roden performs a bust of porcelain stoneware.
Sculptor decided to portray Balzak, wrapped in a bathrobe, who writer loved to wear at home, working on immortal creations. The author retains the size of the shape and clothing. In order to better make drapery, Roden makes several options for nude figures and, covering them with matter, fills the composition with plaster. In the resulting empty clothes, he adds contrast effects, taking into account the lights. Such a method of Rodin served as the next generations of sculptors by an example of an image of a fine material with the transfer of the internal structure of the body. Several dozen models went searching for the right decision. As a result, the sample of the naked figure of the sculptor chose his work of a decade ago "Athlete". Of course, the Muscular Athlete Body did not fit the tradition of the image of great writers, but Roden wanted to transfer the tension and strength of the wrestle as he considered Balzac. In the final version, the author changed the feet fragments and the position of the hands.
The connection of both items where each fragment is valuable, created a general image symphony. The dominant part of the sculpture was the look, reflecting the creative attitude of the genius.
In 1898 Roden presented a project of a monument to Balzak in the salon of graceful arts. But the company of writers refused to take work. Did not support Rodin and contemporaries, considering the sculpture of the most unsuccessful work of the author. Roden offered to sell a monument abroad, but he refused, dreaming to build him only in Paris.
As a result, Roden transports a statue to his villa in the honey, where a few years later, it discovers a young German photographer and reiterates the beauty of creation through his picture, putting the beginning of the triumphal procession in the world of numerous copies of the monument. Roden has never seen his creation, distinguished in bronze, without having lived to his triumph of 22 years.
In 1939, 40 years after a public demonstration, a monument is installed in Paris at the crossroads of Vavin (crossing the boulevards of the decay and MONPARNAS). Where according to ancient Greek legend, died.
Monument is located near the metro station Vavin.
The project of the monument to Balzak and fragments of the work installed in the Rodna Museum, on the street Varen, 79. The nearest metro station is boiled or disabled.
In the second Museum of Roden in the honey (Auguste Rodin Street, 19) can be visited the workshop of the sculptor, where plaster options are exhibited. Getting to Mairie D’Issy Metro Station (Line 12), then the bus 190, 290, 169 (Stop Percy Hospital)
Creation of Alexander Falgeira
After refusing to take the work of Roden, the Society of Writers allocated funds for the implementation of the project of the monument to Balzak Sculptor Alexander Falgee. Student of the workshop Francois Zhuffrua, he worked for a long time with a free artist. Sculptor – Winner of the Roman Academic Prize, after successful participation in the Paris Salon of Fine Arts The author gets numerous orders. Today, his creations are decorated with a new opera and French theater.
Given the naturalism of Falgeih’s creativity, the Society of the writers hoped that his option would satisfy the expectations of the French. Sculptor really justified their hopes by completing a giant statue in a classic manner. Balzac peacefully sends on a stone bench.
In 1902, the monument was installed on Friedland Street. It is easy to find, running walking down the street Fobur Saint-Onev (Central Street of Paris) past Osh Street to intersection with Balzac Street. On Balzac Street, a round squat tower hides the fence of the Adela Rhodelian mansion, the relevant of Berrier street is located. The monument will be visible on the right side of the street Friedland, crossing Berrier Street. The monument is located the Rothschild Foundation Square Square.
Nearest metro station "Charles de Gaulle Square".
Museum Balzaca
The history of creating a monument to the writer is told in one of the halls of the Museum of Balzak in Paris. Several copies and small originals of the sculptures of David de Angers, Roda, Falgeira collected together. In the garden hid in a dense shrub Bust Balzac.
To get acquainted with the history of creating monuments Balzaka in the house 47 on the street Reynar, a 10-minute walk from Passy Metro.
Sculpture of Zurab Tsereteli
The most famous modern our sculptor in the world of Zurab Tsereteli has long dreamed of raising a monument to her beloved writer in Paris. But after a long negotiations with France about the place of installation of the monument, he was assigned a plot of central square of the ancient city of Agd, located in the south of the country. The bronze five-meter monument was cast in St. Petersburg. In the center of the composition, the throne was delivered, with Balzac stern. Writers surround the books and forty heroes of his legendary novels. On the pedestal, the surname of the sculptor and the inscription "Dar of Russia to the French people. 2004".
