Suvorov Against the Sky

Suvorov founded Tiraspol as a fortress town in 1792, and the city keeps him rearing in bronze on his hill, sword back, horse vertical, the full imperial cavalry gesture frozen against the sky. In November light he goes pure silhouette, which improves him: all statement, no detail.

I climbed the knoll and stood below the hooves. Founders on horseback are a genre I collect across this continent, and this one is a fine late specimen: the empire builds a fort, the fort becomes a city, the city outlives the empire and keeps the general, because a founder is a founder regardless of what he founded it for.

The wind up there had crossed the whole steppe to make its point. I conceded and came down. He stayed, as is the arrangement.