Ernst unknown sculptures list. Granite - the birthplace of culture

On August 9, 2016, the talented and ingenious sculptor passed away - Ernst Neizvestny, who created more than 850 sculptures over the entire period of his work, many of which became famous not only in the territory former USSR, but also all over the world.

Brief biography

Ernst Iosifovich Neizvestny was born April 9, 1925 in Sverdlovsk in the family of an otolaryngologist and a poetess. His mother also wrote popular science books for children and was a chemist by profession.

From the age of 14, Ernst took part in All-Union competitions for children and youth creativity. In 1942 he began studying at Leningrad Art School at the All-Russian Academy of Arts.

Period of the Great Patriotic War

At the end of the summer of 1942. was drafted into the army and took part in hostilities during the Great Patriotic War until the spring of 1945.

Has awards:

Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree.
Order of the Red Star.
Medal "For the Capture of Budapest".
Medal "For Courage".
Order of Honor, awarded to him by Vladimir Putin in October 2000.

Death and Resurrection

After being seriously wounded in Austria on April 22, 1945, Ernst Neizvestny was hospitalized and was pronounced dead some time later.

From personal memories:

“I was wounded very seriously, an explosive bullet pierced my chest, knocked out three ribs, three intervertebral discs, and tore the pleura. I only found out much later that I was almost Rambo, because I killed twelve fascists. And it was hand-to-hand combat, face to face in the trenches. Well, naturally, I began to die.

While they were transporting me, the Germans were bombing with all their might, I was also hit by a blast wave, and I also suffered from concussion. So, in the end, I was all in plaster, completely insane.

And at some point I was considered dead and taken to the basement. One day the orderlies, young boys, dragged me away. But it’s hard, they awkwardly threw me off - why take the dead into account?! And then something happened to the plaster, it moved, and I screamed. They resuscitated me..."

Works of Ernst Neizvestny

The work of the third year of the Surikov School of Ernst Neizvestny received an international medal and was purchased Tretyakov Gallery. Fifth year work - "Kremlin Builder Fyodor Kon" was nominated for the Stalin Prize and purchased by the Russian Museum.

50s

In 1954-1962, Neizvestny participated in youth republican and all-Union exhibitions in Moscow, among them:

exhibition at the VI World Festival of Youth and Students in 1957, where the sculptor received two prizes;
All-Union art exhibition “40 years of the Komsomol” in 1958;
exhibition of works by artists from the studio of E. Belyutin (Taganka) in 1962 with the participation of Y. Sooster, V. Yankilevsky and Y. Sobolev-Nolev.

In 1955, Ernst Neizvestny became a member of the sculptors section of the Moscow branch of the Union of Artists of the USSR and until 1976 he worked artistic activity in the USSR.

In the early 1950s. Ernst Neizvestny created a series of sculptures "War is...", "Robots and semi-robots", created entire albums of drawings under the general title "Gigantomachy, or the Battle of the Giants".

In 1956, the artist began work on the architectural monument "Tree of Life"- a giant sculpture symbolizing the creative union of art and science. This project, according to the sculptor, is the main business of his life.

In 1957, Unknown creates a statue that has become famous - "Dead Soldier". This is a lying figure with an almost decayed face, a huge hole in the chest and a ossified hand stretched forward and still convulsively clenched into a fist - a man whose last gesture still symbolizes struggle, movement forward.

Next, he creates images that are sharply different from the usual easel sculpture of those years - “Suicide” (1958), “Adam” (1962-1963), “Effort” (1962), “Mechanical Man” (1961-1962), “Two-Headed giant with an egg" (1963), a figure of a seated woman with a human fetus in the womb (1961).

60s

In 1959, Ernst Neizvestny won the All-Union competition to create a monument to the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

In 1961 the first personal exhibition Unknown - in the Moscow club "Friendship". In 1962, he participated in the famous exhibition at the Manege “30 years of Moscow Union of Artists”, which was destroyed by Nikita Khrushchev, who called his sculptures “degenerate art”:

- Why do you distort the faces of Soviet people like that?

Since 1965, he has repeatedly participated in art exhibitions in the West.

The most significant work of Neizvestny in the Soviet period is the decorative relief “Prometheus” (150 m long) in the All-Union Pioneer Camp “Artek” (1966) and “Lotus Flower” (87 m high), built at the Aswan Dam in Egypt (1971).

In 1970, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment” with illustrations by Ernst Neizvestny was published.

Conflict with the head of the USSR

For his work, Neizvestny was criticized by the then head Soviet Union N. S. Khrushchev, who in 1962 at an exhibition called his sculptures “degenerate art.”

Later, at the request of the relatives of the former head of state, Ernst Neizvestny created a tombstone monument to N. S. Khrushchev on Novodevichy Cemetery. The sculptor did not take a penny for his work. And he threw a wad of banknotes forcibly thrust into him from the son of the former secretary general out of the car window as he walked: “Let Moscow remember Nikita...”

70s

In 1974 he performs a huge relief ( 970 m²) in the building of the Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology in Zelenograd.

In 1973-1975 An unknown person creates an eight-meter-tall “Heart of Christ” monument for a monastery in Poland.

In 1975, Ernst Neizvestny created a bas-relief on the building of the archive of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan in Ashgabat. It was last piece in the Soviet Union before emigration. Now this is one of the buildings State Archive.

From the beginning of the sixties until his departure, the sculptor created more than 850 sculptures - these are the cycles “ Strange births", "Centaurs", "Construction of Man", "Crucifixions", "Masks" and others. Neizvestny spent almost all the money he earned working as a mason or restoring the reliefs of the destroyed Cathedral of Christ the Savior, located in the Donskoy Monastery, on his sculptures.

Of his 850 sculptures, only 4 were purchased from him.. Criminal cases were brought against him: he was accused of currency fraud and espionage. He was constantly beaten, glass was poured into the clay, after which he received multiple cuts and was unable to work for a long time.

After leaving abroad

In 1983, Ernst Neizvestny was elected professor of humanities at the University of Oregon (USA), professor of philosophy at Columbia University. In 1986 he was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the New York Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in 1989 Neizvestny became a member of the European Academy of Arts, Sciences and Humanities.

In the late 1980s, commissioned by the Magna Gallery in San Francisco (USA), Neizvestny created the series “Man through the Wall,” which was dedicated to the collapse of communism. During these same years, Neizvestny lectured at the University of Oregon in Eugene and at the University of Berkeley in California.

In 1987, in the Swedish city of Uttersberg (Swedish: Uttersberg) opened Tree of Life Museum, dedicated to the works of Ernst Neizvestny.

In 1989, he came to Moscow and gave lectures on culture at Moscow State University. He was invited to design a monument to the victims of the Holocaust in Riga and a monument to the victims of Stalinism in Vorkuta. In the same year, a feature-journalistic film about Ernst Neizvestny was shot “Is the sighted person responsible for the blind?”.

90s

In 1990, he designed a monument to Andrei Sakharov. In October 1990 he signed the “Roman Appeal”. In the same year, it was founded in Sverdlovsk (Ekaterinburg) Ernst Neizvestny Museum.

In 1991, Ernst Neizvestny came to Russia to work on a memorial to the victims of Stalinism in Vorkuta and Yekaterinburg.

In 1994, based on his sketches, the main prize of the All-Russian television competition TEFI was created - Orpheus figurine. And also: the prize of the Russian independent award "Triumph" - the Golden Elf figurine, and the prize figurine of the people's award "Bright Past" in the form of a symbolic image of the Centaur, which is awarded in Chelyabinsk to famous South Urals residents.

In 1996, Neizvestny completed his monumental (15 meters high) work "Mask of Sorrow", dedicated to the victims of repression in the Soviet Union. This sculpture was installed in Magadan.

In December 1997, a sculpture by Ernst Neizvestny "Great Centaur" was donated to the UN European Headquarters in Geneva, it is installed in the Ariane Park, which surrounds the Palais des Nations.

2000s

In April 2000, the artist’s first sculpture was unveiled in Moscow - "Renaissance". In 2003, a monument was opened in Kemerovo on the banks of the Tom River "Memory to the miners of Kuzbass" works by Ernst Neizvestny.

In October 2004, Ernst Neizvestny “planted” his “Tree of Life” in Moscow - in the lobby of the Bagration shopping and pedestrian bridge. This is a seven-meter spreading “Tree of Life”, in the crown of which you can see a Christian crucifix and a Mobius strip, portraits of Buddha and Yuri Gagarin, the plot of expulsion from paradise and esoteric symbols.

Ernst Neizvestny created sculptural compositions that decorated many cities around the world - the sculpture “Exodus and Return” in Elista (dedicated to the deportation of Kalmyks), “Golden Child” in Odessa.

Sculptural compositions of the Unknown, expressing his expression and powerful plasticity, were often composed of parts of the human body. He preferred to create sculptures in bronze, but his monumental sculptures were created in concrete.

Awards

Awards and prizes for the work of Ernst Neizvestny:

laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation (1995),
laureate of the private Tsarskoye Selo Prize (1998),
laureate of the Kuzbass Prize for creating a monument to the dead miners in Kemerovo (2003).

Since 1977, the sculptor lived in New York and worked at Columbia University. He celebrated his 80th birthday in Russia.

In New York, the famous Soviet sculptor Ernst Neizvestny died, he was 91 years old. During his life, the artist created many works that will decorate cities, streets, and museums. Let's remember the most famous of them.

"Tree of Life", 2004

Conceived in 1956, the “Tree of Life” was “planted” by Ernest Neizvestny only in 2004. On its branches there are both Gagarin and Buddha... The sculpture can be seen in the lobby of the Bagration pedestrian bridge in Moscow.

Drawings from the “Capriccio” series, 2000

For a major exhibition in Russia in 2012, Ernst Neizvestny selected his works himself. And he decided that Russians should definitely see his series graphic works"Capriccio".

"Renaissance", 2000

The Renaissance monument was erected in 2000 on Bolshaya Ordynka in Moscow as a symbol of a new, prosperous Russia. The central element of the sculpture is Archangel Michael, the head of the holy army of angels fighting evil.

“Mask of Sorrow”, 1996

The monument to the victims of Stalin’s repression “Mask of Sorrow” is located in Magadan. It was opened in 1996. The central sculpture of the memorial is a crying face. Inside the monument is a replica of a typical prison cell.

Monument at the grave of N.S. Khrushchev, 1995

The sculptor created the monument at Khrushchev’s grave (Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow) at the request of Nikita Sergeevich’s relatives. The work was done in black and white, which personifies the duality of the nature of the ex-head of the USSR - the struggle between good and evil in him. By the way, Khrushchev visited the exhibition of Ernst Neizvestny in 1962 and called his work “degenerate art.”

"Golden Child", 1995.

The sculpture “Golden Child” is installed in front of the Marine Station building in Odessa. This is the world's largest baby figure. The second name of the sculpture is the monument to the Unborn Genius. “For the first time in my life, I created a monument in a bright, joyful, romantic way. “The Golden Child is a bright, sunny image of a giant being born,” said Ernst Neizvestny himself.

"TEFI", 1994

Few people know that Ernst Neizvestny is the author famous figurine TEFI, which in Russia is awarded for the highest achievements in the field of television arts. The figurine represents the ancient Greek character Orpheus, who tears his chest and plays on the strings of his soul.

"Man Screaming", 1993

The bronze sculpture “Screaming Man” was made by Neizvestny back in 1993, but it was first exhibited in Russia in 2012.

"Through the Wall", 1988

Ernst Neizvestny brought the sculpture “Through the Wall” from the United States to Russia in 1996 as a gift to then President Boris Yeltsin. The artist expressed hope that the image of a man who broke through a seemingly insurmountable barrier would help Yeltsin overcome his illnesses.

"Lotus Flower", 1971

The Lotus Flower Monument is located at the Aswan Dam in Egypt. It was installed in 1971 in honor of the friendship of peoples. Its height is 75 m.

"Centaur Pointing", 1962

One of the main metaphors in the works of Ernst Neizvestny is the centaur. It was this mythical image that he used both in the first and in recent years work. In the photo below you can see a mini-copy of the “Pointing Centaur” presented at an exhibition in Russia, the original of which was installed in front of the UN building in Geneva.

Ernst Neizvestny: Biography and most famous works sculptor

From open sources

The world-famous master died in New York at the age of 92

The world-famous sculptor Ernst Neizvestny was born in the Urals, in Sverdlovsk in 1925 in the family of doctor Joseph Moiseevich Neizvestny and children's writer Bella Abramovna Dizhur.

The unknown began to draw early; as a schoolboy he went to the art studio at the Palace of Pioneers. From 1939 to 1942 he participated in the All-Union children's creativity competitions. He studied at the Leningrad Secondary Art School (now the St. Petersburg State Academic Art Lyceum named after B.V. Ioganson of the Russian Academy of Arts). And immediately after graduation in 1943 he went to the front.

Served in the 2nd Airborne Forces Ukrainian Front. At the end of the Great Patriotic War On April 22, 1945, he was seriously wounded in Austria and was “posthumously” awarded the Order of the Red Star for his heroism. But Unknown returned to Sverdlovsk alive. I walked on crutches for a long time. He taught drawing at the Suvorov School.

In 1946-1947 he studied at the Academy of Arts in Riga, and then, in 1947-1954. - at the Moscow Art Institute. V.I. Surikov and at the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University.

In 1956-57 he returned to Sverdlovsk and worked as a foundry worker at the Metallist plant.

The most significant work of the Unknown, which was created in the USSR, was “Prometheus” (1966). It stands in the All-Union Pioneer Camp "Artek" on stones brought by children from 83 countries. Now this is the territory of occupied Crimea.

From open sources

For his work, Neizvestny was criticized by Nikita Khrushchev, who in 1962, at an exhibition, called his sculptures “degenerate art.” Later, Ernst Neizvestny created a tombstone for Khrushchev at the Novodevichy Cemetery, at the request of his relatives.

From open sources

In 1975, Ernst Neizvestny created a bas-relief on the building of the archive of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan in Ashgabat. This was his last work in the Soviet Union before emigrating.

Arguments and facts

In 1976, Neizvestny emigrated to Switzerland, and in 1977 he moved to the USA. In the 1980s, the sculptor exhibited many times at Magna Gallery in San Francisco. At the request of the gallery, Mr. Neizvestny created the cycle “Man through the Wall”, dedicated to the collapse of communism.

In 1994 he created the TEFI figurine.

Arguments and facts

In 1996, Neizvestny completed his monumental (15 meters high) work “Mask of Sorrow,” dedicated to the victims of repression in the Soviet Union. This sculpture was installed in Magadan.

Arguments and facts

In 2000, the monument to Ernst Neizvestny “Renaissance” with the figure of Archangel Michael, the leader of the heavenly forces in the fight against evil, was unveiled in Moscow.

The well-known figurine, which is awarded at the TEFI ceremony, was first created by Neizvestny back in 1962. Then "Orpheus" was two meters in size. His works at the exhibition “30 years of Moscow Union of Artists” were mercilessly criticized by Nikita Khrushchev.

The unknown, like his Orpheus, was wounded in the chest during the Great Patriotic War. Ernst himself spoke about his injury:

I was wounded very seriously, an explosive bullet pierced my chest, knocked out three ribs, three intervertebral discs, and tore the pleura.

"Prometheus and the Children of the World" (1966)

The monumental sculptural composition measuring 150 meters in size was created in the All-Union camp "Artek". This monument to international friendship and unity of children around the world was laid on stones brought by Artek guests from 83 countries. The inscription on it reads: “With the heart - the flame, the sun - the radiance, the fire - the glow, children of the globe, the path of friendship, equality, brotherhood, labor, happiness will forever be illuminated!”

Tombstone of Nikita Khrushchev (1975)

Khrushchev once called Neizvestny’s work “degenerate art,” like Joseph Goebbels, and this greatly harmed the sculptor’s life: he could not support himself and he even had to earn extra money as a loader. But he still made, at the request of his relatives, a tombstone on Khrushchev’s grave at the Novodevichy cemetery from white and black marble.

"Mask of Sorrow" (1996)

A 30-meter memorial to the victims of political repression was opened on the Krutaya hill in Magadan. During Stalin's repressions, there was a transshipment point at the same place, from which prisoners were transported to camps in Kolyma. In the right eye of the largest face there is a barred window, and inside there is a reproduction of a typical prison cell from Stalin's times.

"Memory to the miners of Kuzbass" (2003)

The five-ton, 15-meter monument was opened on Miner’s Day in Kemerovo, a city of engineers and machine builders. The monument to miners’ labor turned out to be not at all mournful: it rather symbolizes the holiness of the feat of those who work underground for the benefit of all humanity. Despite the fact that Neizvestny worked on the monument in New York, the design uses the old Soviet equipment: helmets and miner’s lamps were delivered to the sculptor from Kemerovo.

"Tree of Life" (2004)

The sculpture can be viewed by any Muscovite during a walk along the Bagration Bridge. In shape it resembles a human heart, and under the branches of the “tree” there are images of various great personalities, from Buddha to Yuri Gagarin. In general, the work was conceived as a monument to the human spirit, which people carry through the centuries.

Among outstanding sculptors Ernst Neizvestny occupies a worthy place in the world. The sculptures, photos of which can be seen in all textbooks on art of the 20th century, betray an unusual view of the world. The works of Neizvestny are always recognizable and make a vivid impression with their expression and vitality. The artist's life was not easy, but he was able to maintain his individuality, humor and optimism until the very end of his days.

Biographical milestones

Ernst Neizvestny was born on April 9, 1925 in Sverdlovsk. Parents, a doctor and a poetess, were repressed in the 30s. The boy's talent manifested itself very early; as a child he attended art school, and at the age of 17 he entered school at the Academy of Arts. During World War II, Ernst volunteered for the front and, after completing training, went to serve in the airborne forces. In 1945 he was seriously wounded and sent for treatment. For the battle in which he was wounded, Neizvestny was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. But because of the last name, there was confusion, and for 28 years the award committee could not find Ernst. It was at this time that Neizvestny had a direct conflict with Khrushchev on the topic of art, and the title of Hero was never given to the artist, replacing him. After the war, Neizvestny received his education at the Riga Academy of Arts, at the Institute. Surikov, at the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University. By the mid-1950s, Ernst Iosifovich became a prominent artist and nonconformist. In 1962 he took part in the exhibition contemporary art, defeated by N.S. Khrushchev. From that time on, it became difficult for Neizvestny to work in the USSR, and in 1976 he emigrated, first to Switzerland and then to the USA, where he would live most of his life. After perestroika, Ernst Iosifovich often visited Russia. His works are in private and museum collections in his homeland and in many countries around the world. The unknown man was married several times and has a daughter. At the age of 88, he underwent a complex operation and for several more years continued to create and live to the fullest. The artist died on August 9, 2016 in New York.

Creative path

Since the late 50s, Neizvestny has been actively working and experimenting. First of all, he realizes himself as a sculptor. But since the 70s, he has devoted a lot of time to graphics, illustrating literary works, in particular, “Crime and Punishment” by F.M. Dostoevsky. In the USSR, Neizvestny only had two exhibitions, after which he was subjected to harassment for his desire for avant-gardeism. Since 1965, he has actively participated in exhibitions in the West. Before leaving abroad, Ernst managed to create 850 different works in the USSR. And after emigration, Neizvestny becomes a permanent participant in various artistic events in different countries peace. He has always been characterized by very high productivity. The sculptures of Ernst Neizvestny are gaining great popularity, he is quickly becoming a real celebrity. After perestroika, the artist again began to actively work in his homeland. Since the end of the 20th century, Neizvestny has been perceived throughout the world as a living classic, a master.

Author's style of Ernst Neizvestny

Already in his early years he showed innovation. The sculptures of Ernst Neizvestny combine deep symbolism and powerful expressionism. He is the founder of the new sculpture of the 20th century. His creations are universal metaphors with the deepest philosophical meaning It is not for nothing that some critics, trying to define his style, called Neizvestny’s works “intellectual sculpture.” In his mature work, Ernst Iosifovich most often turns to human body, trying to connect it with the world of artifacts, the artist called it “second nature.” The main theme of his work is humanism; it was the tragedy of human life and its meaning that occupied Neizvestny most of all throughout his life. He constantly turned to the ultimate human problems, he was interested in the highest manifestations of the human spirit. Researchers call the features of his author's style large-scale, expressive deformation of the image, and a high degree of generalization of the image.

The most famous sculptures of Ernst Neizvestny

The creative legacy of Ernst Neizvestny is enormous; until now, no one has undertaken to calculate how many works the master created. He was always distinguished by his great efficiency, which is why there are a very large number of his creations. His most famous works include: the monument to N. Khrushchev, the monumental sculptures “Tree of Life” and “Orpheus”, the composition “Prometheus and the Children of the World”, the monument “Lotus Flower”, sculptural portraits of A. Tarkovsky and D. Shostakovich, the religious work “ Heart of Christ", sculpture "Golden Child" in Odessa, monument "Renaissance". This list is completely incomplete, since the artist had many creations. Not only is it a collectible, but it often becomes part of the human environment. Many modern monumentalists created works specifically for different cities, and Ernst Neizvestny also often worked. Sculptures in Moscow were installed already during the period of perestroika and are mainly part of the master’s mature work. Thus, in the capital of Russia you can see such monuments of the artist as “The Tree of Life”, “Renaissance”, and the tombstone of N. Khrushchev.

Orpheus

The two-meter sculpture “Orpheus” by Ernst Neizvestny was created in 1962. The original is kept in the artist's studio in New York. Sketches for this work were used to create a prize figurine. The figurine has an impressive weight of 8.5 kg, and exactly repeats the image of its “big ancestor”. The idea of creating a sculpture came to the artist after Khrushchev destroyed his creations at art exhibition. In the image of a poet with a torn chest, playing “on the strings of his soul,” of course, Ernst Iosifovich conveyed his own experiences of that time.

Tree of Life

Global, universal problems always interest great artists such as Ernst Neizvestny. The sculptures “The Tree of Life” and “Prometheus and the Children of the World,” created based on mythological themes, are dedicated to universal questions of existence, good and evil. In “The Tree of Life” the author refers not only to biblical motifs, but also to the symbolism of other religions, as well as elements of island beliefs. In the sculpture you can see the faces of people of all times, from Adam and Eve to Yuri Gagarin. It is not in vain that the crown of the entire composition is the human heart as a symbol of life and feeling. An unknown person worked on this creation for more than 50 years. Today the sculpture stands in Moscow, and anyone can see it.

Monument to Khrushchev

Khrushchev's sculpture can be considered an example of unexpected life turns. Ernst Neizvestny in 1960, after Khrushchev destroyed his creations, calling Neizvestny’s works “degenerate art,” could not sell a single work. For 15 years he sold only 4 works, he could not get government orders, worked as a loader. Therefore, Neizvestny had an understandably negative attitude towards Khrushchev. However, when, after the death of Nikita Sergeevich, his relatives asked to make a tombstone, the sculptor agreed. He created a composition that metaphorically conveyed the idea of struggle and unity of opposites, light and darkness. The work is located at the Novodevichy cemetery.

Mask of Sorrow

Ernst Neizvestny, whose sculptures can be seen in best museums world, often in his work addressed the theme of unfreedom of body and spirit. For several years he worked on the project of a monument to the memory of victims of repression in the USSR, called “Mask of Death”. In an allegorical form, the artist conveys the idea of the hypocrisy of the Soviet political regime. He creates a symbol of grief for wives and mothers who were waiting for the innocently convicted. Inside the monument, a replica of a prison cell has been recreated, into which you can climb an iron staircase, like a prison tower. The 15-meter monument is visible from almost anywhere in Magadan, the unofficial capital of Soviet-era camps.

Lotus flower

When describing the sculptures of Ernst Neizvestny, one cannot help but recall the grandiose monument “Lotus Flower” in Egypt. The monument symbolized Soviet-Arab friendship and was erected near the Aswan Dam. Neizvestny created this grandiose 75-meter structure in collaboration with two architects, who subsequently tried to downplay the role of the sculptor in the work on the project. One way or another, it was Ernst Iosifovich’s sketches that allowed a group of authors to win the competition to create the monument. Even today it is one of the ten tallest monuments in the world. The entire inner surface of the flower is decorated with bas-reliefs based on the drawings of Ernst Neizvestny.

Heart of Christ

Ernst Neizvestny, whose sculptures are in the best collections in the world, was honored to create a work stored in the Vatican Museum. The sculpture “Heart of Christ” is a variation on the theme of the canonical crucifixion. The artist creates a complex composition in the center of which there is a cross, but the figure of Christ is surrounded by a certain entity, symbolizing pain, fear, and a person’s cry. The Pope wanted to buy the work, but the sculptor gave it to the priest, and now it adorns the Vatican Museum.

Awards and memory

The sculptures of Ernst Neizvestny are in different places peace. In New York, the artist's studio has a good collection of his works. There is an interesting collection in Ernst Iosifovich’s homeland, Yekaterinburg. Several sculptures and many graphics are stored here. In the Swedish city of Uttersberg there is a museum with a small but good collection of the master's works. But the artist’s main works stand on the streets of cities around the world, some are located in famous cemeteries.

During his life, Ernst Neizvestny received many awards and prizes abroad. The homeland also paid tribute to the artist. He was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, the Order of Honor, and the State Prize of the Russian Federation.