Washing the emperor

The Mikhailovsky Theatre has been charged with an important task: cleaning the Monument to Nicholas I in St. Isaac’s Square on 1 July, Restoration Day. Artistic Director of the Mikhailovsky Theatre Vladimir Kekhman; representative of the Committee on the State Control, Use, and Protection of Historical and Cultural Landmarks Sergey Makarov; and advisor to the head of the Department for Cultural Heritage of the City of Moscow Yulia Loginova ascended the height of the monument in an aerial work platform, and ceremonially fired a jet of water at the bronze statue.

The yearly tradition of cleaning monuments on Restoration Day (a process known in professional terms as “preventive conservation”) is supported by the Museum of Urban Sculpture. “It is a great honour for me to participate in this event,” Vladimir Kekhman said. “The Mikhailovsky Theatre was actually constructed during the reign of Nicholas I, and the emperor personally attended its opening, returning on numerous occasions. I began spending half my time in Novosibirsk over a year ago, and this has enabled me to fully appreciate what it means to live in St. Petersburg. We are all incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to delight in this unique city each and every day — a city that is truly unrivalled in its beauty.”

The Monument to Nicholas I was unveiled in 1859; it was designed by the architect Auguste de Montferrand and crafted by the sculptor Peter Clodt von Jürgensburg. The figure of the emperor on a rearing horse is a rare example of such a large bronze sculpture standing on just two points of support: the horse’s hind feet.