Monument of Alexandre III, Bronze equestrian monument near Marble Palace, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The Monument of Alexandre III is a bronze statue on a pedestal facing the Marble Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The work shows the emperor seated on a heavy horse whose broad shape and lowered head give the entire piece a distinctive silhouette.
The statue was placed on what is now Vosstaniya Square in 1909 and moved to the courtyard of the Russian Museum after the revolution in 1937. In 1994 it found its current location facing the Neva River in front of the Marble Palace.
Local residents refer to the statue by the nickname "scarecrow" because of its unusual proportions and the powerful way the emperor appears. This nickname reflects the disagreements that have followed the work since it was unveiled.
The statue stands on the forecourt of the Marble Palace which visitors can enter during museum opening hours. The location sits near the Neva embankment and is reachable on foot from the Hermitage.
Sculptor Paolo Troubetzkoy said about his work that he portrayed one animal sitting on another animal. This remark referred to the unconventional way he shaped both rider and horse.
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