Kulikov Konstantin Fedorovich. Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Smolensky
The sculptor Konstantin Fedorovich Kulikov was born in 1957 in the village of Lavrovo, Kolchuginsky district, Vladimir region. He graduated from the graphic arts faculty of the Vitebsk State Pedagogical Institute. In 1987 he moved to Smolensk, where he became a member of the board of the Smolensk branch of the Union of Artists of Russia. Kulikov is a participant of republican, all-union, Russian and international exhibitions. Kulikov’s works are kept in many museums in Russia, as well as in private collections in Russia and the USA. Now Konstantin Fedorovich is actively engaged in philanthropy, donating his works to local history museums of the Smolensk region.
Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov was a Field Marshal, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army during the Patriotic War of 1812.
Kutuzov was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian army on August 8, 1812, when Smolensk had already been surrendered to the enemy and the Russian army was retreating to Moscow. Leaving Petersburg, Kutuzov hurried to the army, hoping that the city had not yet been surrendered. The commander said: “If I find Smolensk in our hands, Napoleon will not make it to Moscow.” And when he learned that the city was occupied by the French, he sighed heavily: “The key to Moscow has been taken.”
Kutuzov admired the courage and heroism of the Smolensk residents, who, during the battle of Smolensk on August 4-5, fought on the fortress walls on a par with the soldiers, ran out to the battlefield under enemy fire to help the Russian wounded, burned their houses so that the French won’t take them.
Mikhail Illarionovich addressed the residents of Smolensk with a heartfelt appeal, which today is carved on a granite tablet in the Park in Memory of Heroes near the commander’s bust: “Worthy Smolensk residents, dear compatriots! With the liveliest delight I am announcing everywhere the unparalleled experiences of loyalty and devotion to your beloved fatherland. In your most terrible calamities, you show the steadfastness of your spirit… The enemy could destroy your walls, turn your property into ruins and ashes, infetter you; but he could not and will not be able to win and conquer your hearts. Such are the Russians!..”
After Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow, Kutuzov blocked the French emperor’s path to the southern provinces near Maloyaroslavets and forced him to retreat west along the devastated Old Smolensk road. The Russian army followed on the heels of the retreating French army, which was striving with all its might to the border, abandoning along the way its wounded, weapons and carts with loot. Here Mikhail Illarionovich applied a new tactic of pursuit — a “parallel march”.
Having surrounded the French troops with partisan detachments, which constantly attacked carts and lagging detachments, he led his army further south, parallel to the Old Smolensk road, preventing the enemy from turning off it. That is why the field marshal never visited Smolensk. However, it was on the Smolensk land that Kutuzov won a brilliant victory over the Napoleon army in the battle of Krasnoye on November 3–6, 1812. The great army of Napoleon was completely defeated, only its pitiful remnants returned from Russia. The Patriotic War ended “with the complete extermination of the enemy”.
The sculptor Konstantin Fedorovich Kulikov was born in 1957 in the village of Lavrovo, Kolchuginsky district, Vladimir region. He graduated from the graphic arts faculty of the Vitebsk State Pedagogical Institute. In 1987 he moved to Smolensk, where he became a member of the board of the Smolensk branch of the Union of Artists of Russia. Kulikov is a participant of republican, all-union, Russian and international exhibitions. Kulikov’s works are kept in many museums in Russia, as well as in private collections in Russia and the USA. Now Konstantin Fedorovich is actively engaged in philanthropy, donating his works to local history museums of the Smolensk region.
Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov was a Field Marshal, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army during the Patriotic War of 1812.
Kutuzov was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian army on August 8, 1812, when Smolensk had already been surrendered to the enemy and the Russian army was retreating to Moscow. Leaving Petersburg, Kutuzov hurried to the army, hoping that the city had not yet been surrendered. The commander said: “If I find Smolensk in our hands, Napoleon will not make it to Moscow.” And when he learned that the city was occupied by the French, he sighed heavily: “The key to Moscow has been taken.”
Kutuzov admired the courage and heroism of the Smolensk residents, who, during the battle of Smolensk on August 4-5, fought on the fortress walls on a par with the soldiers, ran out to the battlefield under enemy fire to help the Russian wounded, burned their houses so that the French won’t take them.
Mikhail Illarionovich addressed the residents of Smolensk with a heartfelt appeal, which today is carved on a granite tablet in the Park in Memory of Heroes near the commander’s bust: “Worthy Smolensk residents, dear compatriots! With the liveliest delight I am announcing everywhere the unparalleled experiences of loyalty and devotion to your beloved fatherland. In your most terrible calamities, you show the steadfastness of your spirit… The enemy could destroy your walls, turn your property into ruins and ashes, infetter you; but he could not and will not be able to win and conquer your hearts. Such are the Russians!..”
After Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow, Kutuzov blocked the French emperor’s path to the southern provinces near Maloyaroslavets and forced him to retreat west along the devastated Old Smolensk road. The Russian army followed on the heels of the retreating French army, which was striving with all its might to the border, abandoning along the way its wounded, weapons and carts with loot. Here Mikhail Illarionovich applied a new tactic of pursuit — a “parallel march”.
Having surrounded the French troops with partisan detachments, which constantly attacked carts and lagging detachments, he led his army further south, parallel to the Old Smolensk road, preventing the enemy from turning off it. That is why the field marshal never visited Smolensk. However, it was on the Smolensk land that Kutuzov won a brilliant victory over the Napoleon army in the battle of Krasnoye on November 3–6, 1812. The great army of Napoleon was completely defeated, only its pitiful remnants returned from Russia. The Patriotic War ended “with the complete extermination of the enemy”.
