Stone is a weapon of the Proletariat, Memorial statue in Presnensky District, Moscow, Russia.
Stone is a Weapon of the Proletariat is a bronze sculpture depicting a worker pulling a cobblestone from the ground, expressing intense physical effort through detailed muscle definition and dynamic movement. The monument stands in December Uprising Park and captures human strength in a powerful moment of action.
Sculptor Ivan Shadr created the work as a plaster model in 1927 and had it cast in bronze in 1947 to commemorate the Russian Revolution of 1905 and the sacrifices of Presnya workers. This delayed realization shows how Soviet artists transformed revolutionary events into monuments years after they occurred.
The monument embodies the spirit of working-class resistance and has become a central symbol of proletarian strength in Soviet artistic tradition. Visitors come to experience this representation of labor and social power.
The monument sits in December Uprising Park, where a granite wall behind the statue displays a Lenin quote about Presnya workers' sacrifice. The location is easy to reach on foot and offers a quiet place to spend time.
The original 1927 plaster model is preserved in the Tretyakov Gallery, while this bronze casting inspired similar works by artists across several Eastern European countries. The sculpture demonstrates how Soviet monumental art created international artistic connections.
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