Aristide Croisy: Zynaida and Gleb Haritonenko’s sculptural images

Researchers the history of life and activity of the well-known sugar’s manufacturers and art’s patrons Kharitonenko continues to interest. However today it is very little known about children of Pavel Ivanovich and Vera Andreevna Kharitonenko – Zinaida and Gleb, who have died at early age.

Zinaida Kharitonenko’s cause of death in May, 1889 is the diphtheria. The monument “Two Angels” by the French sculptor Aristide Onesime Croisy on Zinaida’s tomb in Sumy has been established in 1891.

One of sketches of the future monument, created in August 1889, has remained in a museum of Ardenness in the French city Charleville-Mezieres. It confirms that the sculpture «Two Angels» has been made under the concrete order of a family of Kharitonenko, instead of has been bought already ready on one of exhibitions in Paris.

In the same museum of Charleville-Mezieres there is a plaster bust of work of Croisy, which was identified as Zinaida Kharitonenko’s sculptural image. Many similar signs have been found out at girl’s face comparison on a bust and Zinaida’s persons on the Sumy monument “Two Angels”. The general on both sculptures are: a relative positioning of elements of the person, the form of a nose, an ear, lips, a hair, and also ruches on a dress frill. Therefore it is possible to tell with confidence that earlier unknown to us sculptural image of Zinaida Kharitonenko is found.

Zinaida Kharitonenko’s brother – Gleb – also has died at children’s age. It is considered that Gleb was born in 1889 and has died in 1895 – 1897.

Recently it was possible to find and Gleb’s sculptural images.

There is Gleb’s plaster bust executed by Aristide Croisy, in Paris in a family of Musin-Pushkin – descendants of Kharitonenko. According to Vladimir Vladimirovich Musin-Pushkin’s information, this bust has been transferred their family, which has emigrated to Paris, by descendants of Croisy’s family in 1919. Gleb’s cause of death at so early age is an appendicitis.

It is not excluded that Gleb’s identical marble bust could be before revolution in not

remained chapel of Sumy (about St. Zinaida’s clinic) together with a possible marble bust of Zina Kharitonenko.

Gleb Kharitonenko’s other sculptural image is “Bust of the child” in a museum of Ardenness in Charleville-Mezieres, presented to a museum by the family of Croisy in 1923. There is a number of the indirect certificates, allowing to assert that Gleb is represented on this bust. In particular, the sculpture is in one group of not identified until recently busts which it is possible to name conditionally “Sumy busts” – together with Zinaida Kharitonenko’s bust, and also with a bust, most possibly, Vera Andreevna Kharitonenko. Besides, Croisy’s descendants consider that someone from his sons (Jacque or Pierre) has not been represented here: the person on a bust not similar on the photos which have remained them. But Musin-Pushkin’s family, to which accepted this bust, recognised at once: he is their relative – Gleb. The clothes of the boy – a sailor’s suit – also are available on Gleb’s other images.

The specified bust is visible in a photo of Croisy’s masterful where he works over a composition for I.G.Kharitonenko’s monument (“Monument in memory of mister Kharitonenko”). Gleb is meant the boy represented here. It is considered that Gleb has died soon after manufacturing of this sculpture. Proceeding from known date of display in the Parisian Salon of this composition (1897) can be assumed that Gleb has died, most likely, in 1897, or, at least, not earlier than.