Standbeeld van Catharina de Grote voor het Alexandrinski Theater in Sint-Petersburg c. 1880 - 1900

This photograph captures the statue of Catherine the Great in front of the Alexandrinsky Theater in Saint Petersburg. Here, Catherine is rendered in a classical style, reminiscent of a Roman emperor, symbolizing power and enlightened rule. The presence of figures surrounding the base, representing different facets of Russian society, mirrors similar groupings in Roman imperial monuments. Think of Trajan’s Column, where figures represent conquered peoples. The orb and scepter in Catherine’s hands, recurring motifs throughout European royal portraiture, hearken back to the Roman emperors, and later, Byzantine rulers, who wielded similar symbols of divine authority. These symbols, imbued with power, reappear through history, reinvented to legitimize authority. Over time, they evolve, echoing earlier meanings while adapting to contemporary contexts. This non-linear progression of symbols embodies the collective memory and subconscious processes, resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings in different historical contexts.