There are no public monuments of Marquis de Sade in France as he was declared persona non grata. In his artwork, Alexander Nikolayevich Burganov departed from the writer’s scandalous image and instead focused on the writer’s personality and curious aspects of his biography, apart from his infamous provocative behavior. The sculptor created a portrait of a person with a difficult fate, an important figure in French philosophical and cultural life.
Marquis de Sade
Creation period
2010
Place of сreation
Moscow, Russia
Dimensions
41x9x8 cm
Technique
bronze, stone
Collection
Exhibition
1
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#6
I depicted him as a libertine, with his arms folded, proudly setting himself apart from society. The figurative portrait is locked in a cage, symbolizing the life’s circumstances that one faces and must overcome. This metaphor reflects public opinion and fiction surrounding the writer whose name gave birth to a common noun. It also explores the genius and madness of a writer, the bravado of an aristocrat, and the helplessness of a defamed individual.
Alexander Burganov
#7
Alexander Burganov met the fashion designer Pierre Cardin in the late 1970s when he was opening a small exhibition of his work at the Russian House in Paris. Later, Cardin invited Burganov to create a large-scale exhibition at his newly acquired Château de Lacoste. Burganov’s show was the first exhibition set up in this castle. Before that, Cardin had only organized theater festivals there.
In the 18th century, the castle belonged to Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade. He used to hide there during major scandals caused by his outrageous views. During the French Revolution of 1789, the castle was vandalized and largely destroyed. In the 20th century, it was in ruins. In the 1950s, it was purchased by the history enthusiast André Bouer who spent almost half a century restoring the building. After Bouer’s death in 2001, Pierre Cardin bought the castle and promised to continue the restoration work.
The new owner of the castle decided to honor the Marquis de Sade by installing a monument. He approached Alexander Burganov and suggested that he could create the sculpture. Together, they spent a long time discussing in what manner they could best eternalize the memory of this controversial figure. The result is a sculpture that has become one of the most popular attractions at Château de Lacoste. Apart from this monument, the castle also features several other sculptures created by Alexander Burganov.
The museum collection includes another part of the sculptural composition “Marquis de Sade”, titled “Gesture.” This sculpture depicts folded hands as a symbol of captivity and restriction.
#8
I designed the sculpture of the Marquis de Sade at the request of Pierre [Cardin]. He said that he would like such a collaboration. I understand that this was a tribute to the castle’s history — there are a lot of castles of those times in the commune of Lacoste near the city of Avignon.
Alexander Burganov
#10
Marquis de Sade
#9
Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation
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Marquis de Sade
Creation period
2010
Place of сreation
Moscow, Russia
Dimensions
41x9x8 cm
Technique
bronze, stone
Collection
Exhibition
1
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