Rurik, Prince of Holmgard, 862

According to some medieval chronicles, the Rus were a folk of Varangian Vikings who migrated from Scandinavia to the southeastern European mainland and later moved even more to the south, where they would create the medieval state of Kiev.

One of the leaders of this group of explorers and adventurers was Rurik, who established with his people on the Ladoga Lake area around 862. They founded the Holmgard settlement that, in turn would become the city of Novgorod, capital of the prosperous Republic of Novgorod. This kingdom was of capital importance on the history of Russia and the dynasty founded by Rurik stretched its lineage to the later Grand Duchy of Moscow and the Tsars.

Our bust portrays one of the fierce Varangian Vikings of these days, holding an emblematic sword of Scandinavian or Merovingian style and incorporating some subtle but characteristic eastern Slavic details, like the hairdo or the shirt decorative trimming.