The Russian Academy Of Arts

The bronze bust of Maria Alexandrovna (1824-1880), Empress consort of Alexander II of Russia, was inaugurated in San Remo, the capital town of the Italian Riviera of Flowers under the auspices of St. Petersburg Committee for International Relations and sponsorship of Marketing Club of St. Petersburg. The unveiling ceremony for the monument designed by the Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts Vladimir Gorevoy was attended by the Mayor of San Remo and Consul General of the Russian Federation in Genoa Eugene Boikov.

Maria Alexandrovna, born Maximilliane Wilhelmine Auguste Sophie Marie von Hessen und bei Rhein, opened Russian holiday seasons in San Remo. She spent there the winter of 1874-1875 and as a token of gratitude gave the town a thousand of palm trees that were planted along a new coastal boulevard. The San Remo authorities highly appreciated her gesture and named the boulevard after the Empress - Corso Imperatrice. After the visit of Maria Alexandrovna San Remo became a popular resort for the Russian nobility including members of the tsar’s family. The Russian community in San Remo was one of the most significant Russian speaking centers in Europe. There were Russian baths, a chemist’s shop, a library and a church of Christ the Savior there.

The sculptural composition by Vladimir Gorevoy installed as a focus of the San Remo central embankment bearing the name of the Russian Empress contains many symbolic elements such as pearls – Maria’s favorite adornment, a column and a base resembling St. Isaak’s Cathedral and granite embankments of St. Petersburg.

Vladimir Gorevoy is a celebrated St. Petersburg sculptor whose works are in museum collections in Russia and other countries. He has been honored with the State Prize of the Russian Federation and a Gold Medal of the Russian Academy of Arts. Vladimir Gorevoy is an author of monuments to Emperor Peter I of Russia, Emperor Paul I, Russian military leader Alexander Nevsky, sculptor Peter Clodt, as well as busts of Italian architects who worked in Russia Antonio Rinaldi, Carlo Rossi, Giacomo Quarenghi, Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli.

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