Primary sourceSculpture1768-1782

Bronze Horseman

Étienne Maurice Falconet · 1768-1782

An equestrian statue of Peter the Great in Saint Petersburg, commissioned by Catherine the Great to link herself to his legacy.

Catherine commissioned this statue of Peter the Great to legitimize her own rule as his successor.

Ask Catherine the Great about this source View the original

Bronze equestrian statue of a rider on a rearing horse, mounted on a large granite rock with Russian inscription. Behind it is a long yellow neoclassical building with white columns under a blue sky. — Étienne Maurice Falconet, Bronze Horseman, 1768-1782. Senate Square, Saint Petersburg.

About this source

What it is

The Bronze Horseman is a monumental statue of Peter the Great, created by French sculptor Étienne Maurice Falconet, with the face modelled by his young assistant Marie-Anne Collot. It was commissioned by Catherine II and unveiled in Senate Square, Saint Petersburg, in 1782. It stands on the enormous granite Thunder Stone.

Why it matters

Having taken the throne through a palace coup rather than by hereditary right, Catherine used this statue to present herself as Peter the Great's rightful successor. The Latin and Russian inscriptions, both meaning

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Catherine the Great on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Catherine the Great sources

Meet the AI Catherine the Great →

Title page of a 1769 French edition printed in Yverdon, headed 'Instructions adressées par sa Majesté l'Impératrice de toutes les Russies' to the commission for a new law code, 'Nouveau code de loix, Traduit de l'Allemand.' A crown ornament, a quotation beginning 'Seigneur Dieu!' in italics, and the imprint 'Aux dépens de la Société Typographique' with the date MDCCLXIX appear below.

Document

Primary source

Nakaz

Catherine II of Russia · 1766

Title page of an 1885 printed book in Russian. Large heading reads 'ГРАМОТА', followed by 'на права, вольности и преимущества благородного российского дворянства'. Below is 'С.-Петербургъ, Губернская типография (Никольская ул., № 5-8)' and the year '1885'. A round library stamp and a rectangular stamp appear in the middle, with a handwritten mark at top left.

Document

Secondary source

Charter to the Nobility

Catherine II of Russia · 1785 (this edition 1885)

Scan of the first page of a printed 18th-century German-language Russian imperial manifesto, with a large black-letter title beginning 'Von Gottes Gnaden Wir Catharina die Zweyte' and a long list of territorial titles. A library stamp reads 'Ex Bibliotheca Regia Acad. Georgiae'.

Document

Primary source

Invitation Manifesto of 1763

Catherine II of Russia · 22 July 1763

Open handwritten manuscript bound in a book on a dark display surface. Left page and right page are covered in dense cursive handwriting in ink, with crossed-out words and insertions. Paper is cream-colored and aged.

Diary entry

Primary source

Catherine II's Memoirs

Catherine II of Russia · 1790s

Photograph of a white marble commemorative plaque with Cyrillic and Italian inscriptions, mounted on a wall. The top lines in Bulgarian text state the treaty was signed 10/21 July 1774 between Catherine II, Abdul Hamid I and the Ottoman grand vizier Mehmed Pasha, with the text of a clause in Italian and Bulgarian below, and a date and signature line at the bottom.

Document

Primary source

Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca

21 July 1774

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Catherine the Great now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for free Get a quote for institutions