Trafika Europe 13 - Russian Ballet

Vyacheslav Kupriyanov

completed mountains, where he befell with an accident and, stumbling into a chunk of elephant ivory, collapsed and expired. Hearsay, however, insists that he died from old age and not out of foreboding. In accordance with the highest decree, he was buried on the central plaza under the magnificent figures he had sculpted, whose greatness it was determined ought not to be recognized, for a newera had dawned. A young but already distinguished sculptor who, in accordance with the spirit of his age, wished to remain anonymous, erected an effigy, portraying the sculptor Chu leading by the bridle an elephant laden with all his once-upon-a-time renowned cargo. Thus, this compositionwas transformed intoamonument to the artist himself, acknowledging the permanence of art, so that when the Roman legions passed this way, the astonished Latins carved out on the elephant’s belly the following inscription: «АRS LONGA, VITA BREVIS (LIFE IS SHORT, ART IS ETERNAL)».

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