To mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian writer Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky, a monument in his honor was unveiled in one of Florence’s most picturesque parks.
The monument was installed in the monumental city park of Kashin. The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the Russian embassy, the mayor of Florence, the governor of the region and the adviser to the Russian president on cultural issues, great-grandson of the writer Leo Tolstoy.
The sculpture was a gift to the city for which Fyodor Mikhailovich had special feelings. He lived in Florence for almost three years. It was here that he completed his famous novel “The Idiot”, and the house where Dostoevsky lived and wrote is marked with a commemorative plaque.
The author of the monument is the Russian sculptor Aydin Zeinalov, an academician of the Russian Academy of Arts.
The monument is made of bronze, more than three meters high. The writer is depicted standing, with his own novel, “The Idiot”, in his hand. At his feet are shackles, reminding of the years Dostoevsky spent in the penal colony.
“I sculpted Dostoevsky a bit stiff, because it seems to me there were many moments in his life when he felt uncomfortable, uncomfortable, unsettled with life. In a way, this feeling is close to us today, which many people experience in our difficult times. Including because of pandemic restrictions. Nevertheless, on the pedestal lie broken shackles. On the one hand, they represent a particular segment of the writer’s life, and on the other they serve as a universal, Pushkin-like symbol of hope for freedom. And the fact that the project, which has been nurtured for almost three years, has been realized, in spite of the endless coronavirus, also undoubtedly inspires optimism” – sculptor Aydin Zeynalov.
The Mayor of Florence Dario Nardella gave his comments and called the installation of the monument to Dostoyevsky a necessary and beautiful gesture, confirming the fact that great culture remains timeless. Also the head of the city made a proposal to hold the World Day of Culture, and to dedicate it to Russia and Italy. Cultural figures from all over the world would be able to take part in this event.
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky lived and created in the 19th century, but the work of the writer remains popular to this day, problems raised by F.M. Dostoyevsky in the works are current. He is the greatest writer and thinker not only of Russia, but of the world and will always remain in the hearts of his readers.
