About the book: 2021 / "The Bronze Horseman", "The Knight at the Crossroads", "The Three Bird" - these images occupy a central place in the Russian national mythology. Bella Shapiro's monograph shows how the image of a horseman was formed and functioned in Russian culture. Initially, the holy defenders of the fatherland were depicted on foot; The transition to equestrian images chronologically coincides with the time when equestrian culture took shape in Rus'. It gave rise to extensive iconography: the patron saint warriors exchanged the robes and cross of martyrs for armor, weapons and a horse. The most stable equestrian image was the “snake fighter” - the heavenly patron of Rus', striking the enemy. Over time, the image of a saint protecting his people from disasters turned into a symbol of grand ducal and then royal power. With the formation of the Russian Empire, it was replaced by the epic image of a triumphant equestrian king. The author of the book analyzes in detail the process of such cultural transformation, paying great attention to the eventful history of Russia from the Muscovite kingdom to the last emperors. Bella Shapiro is a cultural historian, museologist, associate professor at the Russian State University for the Humanities..