The Russian Academy Of Arts

On March 17, 2008 Tsereteli Art Gallery presents a sculptural composition: Wives of the Decembrists. Gates of Fate designed by the President of the Russian Academy of Arts, UESCO Goodwill Ambassador Zurab Tsereteli. The sculptor has dedicated his new monument to the Year of Family in Russia. The unveiling ceremony will be followed by a concert of spiritual music.

Holding of the Year of Family in 2008 is an initiative of  President Vladimir Putin. On April 26, 2007 in his message to the Federal Assembly the Russian President noted, that “the Year of Family would consolidate efforts of the State and society in strengthening the institute of family and basic family values”. The first Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev has been appointed a head of the Committee.

In his speech at the inauguration ceremony for the Year of Family in Russia Vladimir Putin said: “Starting from early childhood a man learns in the family the first lessons of respect for elder people, explores the world and the most precious things from which the mother country begins, it is the family that brings up the first civic feelings, love of homeland, understanding of the native history and culture”.

The interaction of notions of history and culture of the Motherland and eternal family values has become a topic of  recent sculptures by Zurab Tsereteli: Night at the Ipatiev House commemorating the tragic destiny of the last Russian Tsar’s family(2007) and  Wives of the Decembrists. Gates of Fate (2006-2008).

The  design of the latest sculptural composition is symbolic. It depicts eleven women – Maria Volkonskaya, Catherine Trubetskaya, Natalia Fonvizina, Elizabeth Naryshkina,  Alexandra Entaltseva, Alexandra Davydova, Alexandra Muravieva, Maria Yushnevskaya, Camilla Ivashova, Anna Rozen, Praskovia Annenkova – standing at the gates of fate. Behind the gates is a life full of many ordeals.

The great deed of these women for the sake of family and love who shared the fate of their exiled beloved men has inspired many celebrated Russian artists, novelists and poets – Alexander Pushkin,  Fedor Dostoyevski,  Leo Tolstoi, Alexander Odoevski, Orest Kiprenski and others. Nickolai Nekrasov put it in his Russian Women poem: “Fascinating images! You could hardly have met something more splendid in the history of any nation. Their names should not be forgotten”.

Today, after nearly 200 years, the high morals of these great Russian women, their heroism and unparalleled  deed for the sake of family are of special significance.  

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