Semiosis of the monumental image (the case of the Evdokiya Bershanskaya monument)
DOI: 10.23951/2312-7899-2026-1-75-92
The article examines the principles governing the formation of a historical monument's multi-layered semantic content. As a case study, it analyzes the creative process of the sculptor Alexander Apollonov in creating the monument to Evdokiya Bershanskaya, the commander of the 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment. The study demonstrates that two relatively independent semantic aspects can be distinguished in the monument: the "iconic sign", which points to a specific denotatum (its referential meaning connected to the context of historical memory), and the "artistic image," which possesses its own teleology aimed at expressing ideals of beauty. The semiotic content of the monument is formed by synthesizing these aspects, wherein the sculptor, in crafting the artistic image, reveals the ideological significance of the monument's subject. This integration follows the logic of the symbol, whereby the artistic image, through connotations, connects the denotatum to the cultural code and paradigm of its tradition. Visual tools, in turn, enhance the integrity and intuitive clarity of the symbol's multiple semantic layers. The semiosis of the monumental image occurs through an inter-translation of verbal and visual languages, which serves to highlight the ineffable essence of its subject. The creative concept—comprising a governing idea and a cognitive framework for selecting allegorical components— acquires a vivid "haecceity" during the spontaneous act of creation. In this state, the design becomes fully determined and gains the semantic depth of a true symbol. The monument to Evdokiya Bershanskaya, the commander of the legendary regiment of "Night Witches," possesses this depth. Based on unique photographic materials of different maquettes and preliminary sketches, their semantic features and intended messages are analyzed. The article reconstructs the creative search for the monument's artistic image, which culminated in the portrayal of Bershanskaya with a flight jacket thrown over her shoulders—a detail that visually lends her figure a winged silhouette. The artistic techniques and connotations with iconic works of art that contributed to realizing this vision in monumental form are examined. It is substantiated that the monument to Evdokiya Bershanskaya possesses profound monumental depth. It conveys the image of a heroine symbolizing the collective heroism of her regiment's pilots and embodies the deep meaning of a woman's spiritual power as a defender of the Motherland, evoking the sacred image of Nike, the winged goddess of Victory. Thus, the monument operates on literal, symbolic, and anagogical levels in conceptualizing an individual within the context of a landmark historical event.
Keywords: monumental sculpture, symbol, denotation and connotation, apophatic semiosis, artistic image, sculptor Alexander Apollonov
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Issue: 1, 2026
Series of issue: Issue 1
Rubric: ARTICLES
Pages: 75 — 92
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