TRANSITION OF A.V.SUVOROV ACROSS DEVIL’S BRIDGE ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1799
Engraving by John Vendramini after the original by Robert Ker Porter. Publisher G.Vendramini
Great Britain, London
1805
Caption bottom left: «To his most Excellent Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias [… pl]ates representing the passage of the Alps by Russian Troops [led by] Suwarrow on the 28 of Oct. 1799 are most humbly dedicated [to the] Permission, by his Imperial’s Majesty’s most dutiful Servant John Vendramini». Caption bottom right: : «Les Planches representant le Passage des Alpes par les Troupes RussesCommandées par le General Suwarrow le 28. Oct.-re 1799 sout avec respect et Permission...»
Paper, engraving, watercolor
62,3 x 83,0 cm
From older receipts, 1935
Open storage
On this print is depicted the most dramatic and heroic episode of the Swiss campaign of Suvorov - the fight for the Devil's bridge over the mountain river Reuss 14 (25) September, 1799. At the bottom left in the foreground are depicted Alexander V.Suvorov and Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich.
During the battle for the Devil's bridge, Russian troops made an unprecedented feat in military history: under heavy enemy fire, the soldiers threw logs over the gap in bridge destroyed by the French, tied them with long officer scarves and crossed the abyss, which seemed insurmountable.
Devil's bridge (Teufelsbrücke) was built back in 1595, it spans across the Schöllenen gorge, over the flow of the river Reuss. According to legend, local residents were assisted by the devil who offered to help to build it with the condition, however, that he shall take the soul of the first who crossed the bridge. People outsmarted the devil; they sent first a baby goat across the bridge. In memory of this on a rock near the bridge were painted imaged of the devil and the baby goat. It might be interesting, but there are at least 35 "Devil’s bridges" in European countries: 2 in Switzerland, 3 in Austria, 17 in Germany, 4 in France, 3 in Italy and Spain and 3 in the Czech Republic, England and Wales.
The inscription below the image indicates the "crossing of the Alps by Russian troops under the command of Suvorov, on October 28, 1799". However, this date is inaccurate: on October 28 (in the European style) the Swiss campaign of Suvorov was already completed and his troops, united with the troops of Rimsky-Korsakov, were on vacation ("in winter quarters") in Bavaria and expected to be returned to Russia.
The print is based on the original drawing of Sir Robert Ker Porter (1777–1842) – an outstanding man of many professions: at different times he was an artist, a soldier, a writer, a diplomat and an archaeologist. Since 1805 (with a break of 1807–1810) he lived in Russia, was married to the Russian Princess M.Scherbatova. Glory to Sir Robert K.Porter brought battle compositions dedicated to modern military history, created during his stay in England. Many of them were engraved by John (Giovanni) Vendramini (1769–1839), an Italian engraver who lived in London, and worked closely with Robert K.Porter.
1
