Russian horseman in the paradigm of power

“Copper Horseman”, “Knight at the crossroads”, “Trick bird”-these images occupy a central place in Russian national mythology. The monograph by Bella Shapiro shows how the image of the rider formed and functioned in domestic culture. Initially, the holy defenders of the Fatherland were depicted on foot, the transition to equestrian images chronologically coincides with the time when a riding culture develops in Russia. She gave rise to an extensive iconography: the holy patron warriors changed their robes and the cross of martyrs to armor, weapons and horse. The most sustainable horseback was the “serpentine” - the heavenly patron of Russia, which affects the enemy. Over time, the image of a saint, protecting his people from disasters, turned into a symbol of the Grand Duke and then tsarist power. With the formation of the Russian Empire, an epic image of the equestrian tsar-Triumfator replaced him. The author of the book analyzes in detail the process of such a cultural transformation, while paying great attention to the event of Russia"s event from the Moscow kingdom to the last emperors. Bella Shapiro - cultural historian, museologist, associate professor of the RSUSU