The artwork “Quadriga of Apollo on the front of the Bolshoi Theatre” is a photograph taken by Alexander Rodchenko in 1929. The image captures a scene in Moscow, Russian Federation. Rodchenko, a renowned artist associated with the Constructivism movement, utilized photography amongst other mediums. This particular photo falls within the genre of photography and evidences Constructivist influences.
The photograph showcases a high-contrast, black-and-white image viewed between two sculptures of horses, which are part of the quadriga – a chariot drawn by four horses abreast – adorning the front of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. The perspective chosen by Rodchenko is inventive, framing an urban vista that is bustling with pedestrians and vehicles in the space between these neoclassical sculptures. The composition plays with depth and scale, contrasting the imposing, sculpted details of the horses with the human activity below, all the while capturing the dynamism of Soviet life during that era. The choice of angle and the attention to structure and form align with the Constructivist emphasis on modernity and abstract composition.
This particular viewpoint serves to juxtapose the grandeur and permanence of the historic architecture and its sculptures with the transient, everyday life occurring on the streets. The image freezes a moment in time, showcasing the theater and its urban surroundings in a manner that emphasizes the theater’s cultural role and the city’s bustling activity. Rodchenko’s work is often admired for its ability to deliver such powerful, layered messages through a carefully constructed visual language.
