Peter Das Blog 2

The Russian Revolution was an extraordinary period. Much as the French Revolution over a century before it, so much of Russia had risen to shake off backwardness that it had tried to rid itself of for millennia yet previously failed to do. Over the course of 1917Russia had progressed succession through various attempts at governance, and by the time Red Army seized control, Lenin in all his convictions and self-assurance appeared to be the only viable way forward in the midst of the chaos Russia had fallen into. Lenin seized upon the opportunity, but in order to fully rid the land of the old ways and to cement the power of the new USSR, he knew he had to do away with the old culture, traditions—and, most importantly, art. Lenin and his subordinates knew that to bring the country under his control, the art had to be completely changed to represent the new era and the powers that had assumed mastery over the land.

Klutsis, G. (1929). "Development of Tranport; The Five-Year Plan" [Poster] Retrieved from https://www.art.com/products/p34964201679-sa-i9389218/gustav-klutsis-the-development-of-transportation-the-five-year-plan-1929.htm January 21, 2020

“The Development of Transport, the Five-Year Plan,” (Figure 1) was a point-blank example of just this. The poster tackled the subject directly, showcasing the superior speed, strength, and raw power of the locomotive as compared to the weaker, inferior camel, and its backward Russian rider. With streaks of red in its wake, there is no doubt of its untamed majesty and the capacity of technology to carry Russia forward beginning in this leg of the Five-Year Plan.

Moor, D. (1920). "You! Have You Volunteered?" [Poster] Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/these-soviet-propaganda-posters-meant-to-evoke-heroism-pride January 21, 2020

“You! Have you signed up with the volunteers?” (Figure 2) illustrates in much the same way as British and American counterparts the pressing importance of recruitment, shaming those who are still in the homeland (those who would see the poster) for their slowness to join. Much as the locomotives above, the generic Russian soldier stands red and larger than life.

Ivanov, V. S. (1967). "Lenin Lived; Lenin Lives; Lenin Will Live Forever" [Poster] Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Legacy-Soviet-Propaganda-Poster/dp/B07JVRHXHB January 21, 2020

Finally, the “Lenin Lives” poster realizes Vladamir Lenin as a larger-than-life figure, dominating the landscape against the dramatic red backdrop of the USSR banner. Much as the locomotive, it is he and his vision who will lead Russia into the future.