Virtual Museum of Political Art

Socialist Realism

The Socialist Realism, an ideology enforced by the Soviet state as the official standard for art, literature etc., was defined in 1934 at the First All-Union Congress of Soviet writers. It was based on the principle that the arts should glorify political and social ideals of communism. Every artist had to join the "Union of Soviet Artists", which was controlled by the state. The paintings had to be idealisations of political leaders and communist ideas.

"The Academy of Arts in St.Petersburg was the primary center for art education in Russia and the ultimate authority for maintaining artistic standards and controlling the content of exhibitions and commissions. Founded in 1757, the academy became the major influence on the development of Russian painting. After the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, the academy's main functions were to implement the Communist Party line in the fine arts and to oversee the training of Soviet professional artists.
The Zhdanov decrees were resolutions adopted by the Central Committee of the Communist Party in 1946. Formulated by the Party's secretary and cultural boss, Andrei Zhdanov, these decrees called for stricter government control of the arts and promoted an extreme anti-Western bias.
The Union of Soviet Artists was the single official artists' union of the Soviet Union, authorized and controlled by the state. Proposed in 1932, it was fully realized in 1957."
"Russian Jewish Artists in a Century of Change 1890 - 1990", edited by S.T.Goodman, Prestel, Munich-New York, 1996.

"The Stalin prizes were inaugurated in 1939 to reward high achievement in the arts and sciences. The first prizes for painting were awarded in 1941. The prizes conferred considerable prestige and a large sum of money. All awards were agreed by Stalin and inevitably they had strong political colouring. Igor Grabar headed the committee responsible for the painting prizes."
(Mattew Cullerne Bown: Russian and Soviet Painters. Ilomar, London)

"Initially, Socialist Realism was an artistic and literary doctrine of political censorship in the Soviet Union. Established by the Union of Soviet Writers, it became implemented as compulsory practice in 1932. Socialist Realism primarily required that artists portray a positive depiction of socialist society in conventionally realistic terms. But after Stalin's death (1953), the practice of Socialist Realism gradually became more relaxed though Soviet censorship, in general, remained comparatively strong until Glasnost of the mid-1980s. In the 1950s, both genres of painting existed - scenes depicting political revolution and scenes showing realistic everyday life. Grandiose-scale paintings depicting scenes of the revolution were commissioned for government buildings, while real life scenes were available to grace the walls of homes. In reality, there was little market for selling the paintings. Essentially, the regime controlled the entire process.
(Anne Visser, "Lenin in Art - The History of an Illusion", Azerbaijan International 14.2, Summer 2006.)

"Vladimir Ilich Lenin". Oil on canvas, 90 x 116 cm.
"Vladimir Lenin was short. He was also forty-six and balding when he seized control of Russia in 1917, in the world's first communist revolution. But his words were firy. ... This painting comes from the USSR, during a time when the Soviet government banned 'unsuitable' subjects and styles."
(Gardner, Parsons, Zwicky in "Stories of the Century", Duval House Publishing, Toronto, Ontario 2003 about this particular picture.)

"Stalin at the 8th Conference of the Highest Council". Oil on canvas, 165 x 220 cm.
This painting is also published in "The Russian Revolutions" by George Bowen, a study of government and political change in Russia, the Soviet Union and CIS, Pearson Education New Zealand, 2008 (ISBN 978-0-7339-9342-8).

"Sun of Communism". Water colors on paper, 20 x 23 cm.
This painting is the cover image of the CD "After the Wars" by the Canadian band "Red Orchestra".

"Stalin as an organizer of the october revolution". Oil on canvas, 85 x 117 cm.
This painting is also published in "The Russian Revolutions" by George Bowen, a study of government and political change in Russia, the Soviet Union and CIS, Pearson Education New Zealand, 2008 (ISBN 978-0-7339-9342-8).

"Lenin and Stalin in summer 1917". Oil on canvas, 89 x 124 cm.
This painting is also published in "The Russian Revolutions" by George Bowen, a study of government and political change in Russia, the Soviet Union and CIS, Pearson Education New Zealand, 2008 (ISBN 978-0-7339-9342-8).

"Roses for Stalin". Oil on canvas, 100.5 x 141 cm, 1949.
"This painting illustrates 'socialist realism' - a style that Stalin forced on Soviet artists. Socialist realism delivered positive messages about the USSR and its leaders. Because of propaganda like this and censorship, many Soviet citizens did not know the extent of Stalin's brutality."
(Gardner, Parsons, Zwicky: "Stories of the Century", Duval House Publishing, Toronto, Ontario 2003.)
This picture is also  published in Funken, Koltrowitz: "Geschichte plus", Volk und Wissen Verlag, Berlin 2001 (ISBN 3-06-110924-2), as well as in "The Brain and The Arts" by Espen Dietrichs and Ragnar Stien, Koloritt Forlag, Oslo, Norway 2008 (ISBN 978-82-92395-64-6).

"Black Ravens". Oil on wood, 32 x 20 cm.
This painting was also used as cover-image of the magazine "Azerbaijan International", 13/4, Winter 2005:
"Our cover is based on the original painting 'Black Ravens' by Boris Vladimirsky (1878-1950, Collection Horvath, Austria), who often was commissioned to paint propagandistic scenes during Stalin's era. 'Black Ravens' shows another side of the soul of the Vladimirsky. It is still unknown how this work passed censorship. 'Black Ravens' were the cars used by the NKVD (KGB) to arrest civilians, often in the wee hours of the morning. They were notorious in creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust so prevalent in the 1930s and 1940s. Note the prison in the background."

"Miner". Oil on cardboard, 41 x 29 cm, 1929.

"Female Worker". Oil on cardboard, 41 x 29 cm.

"Lenin on Airfield". Oil on cardboard, 32,5 x 49,5 cm.

"Lenin in red dawn". Oil on cardboard, 34 x 48,6cm, appr. 1930.