Soviet Art

USSR Culture

Soviet manufacturers of porcelain figurines

Soviet manufacturers of porcelain. Sculptures from the series Soviet Socialist Republics, sculptor N. A. Malysheva, Dulevo Porcelain Factory, 1950-60.

Sculptures from the series Soviet Socialist Republics, sculptor N. A. Malysheva, Dulevo Porcelain Factory, 1950-60.

Soviet manufacturers of porcelain figurines, whose products today cost hundreds of thousands of rubles

Porcelain figurines of the Soviet period today, without exaggeration, can be called true works of art. Surprisingly, these products were appreciated only after the disappearance of the state in which they were born from the map of the world. Today we will talk about the productions that gave mankind true beauty – unique porcelain figurines, for which collectors from different parts of the globe are ready to pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

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Svarog (Korochkin) Vasily Semyonovich

Painting The tank takes obstacles, artist Svarog V. S., USSR, 1931

Painting The tank takes obstacles, artist Svarog Vasily, USSR, 1931.

The founder of the Soviet newspaper illustration: Svarog (Korochkin) Vasily Semyonovich

Vasily Svarog is considered the founder of illustrations in the newspaper genre of the Soviet era. His works of art have always been executed perfectly, as a true professional, he did not tolerate hack work and constantly developed his abilities. The style of this artist’s work is closest to Ilya Repin, but this is not an imitation, but the influence of teachers who instilled in him a realistic style and a selfless love for art.

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Unofficial art of the USSR

Carnival in St. Petersburg. Mikhail Shemyakin. Unofficial art of the USSR

Unofficial art of the USSR. Carnival in St. Petersburg. Mikhail Shemyakin.

Unofficial art of the USSR is a powerful tool in the struggle of progressive artists against the totalitarian Soviet regime

Unofficial art of the USSR (non-conformist, underground, alternative or underground) is a collection of works of fine and other types of art of the 50-80s of the twentieth century that did not fit into the system of Soviet cultural values ​​and were strictly banned for political and ideological reasons. The unofficial art of the USSR united representatives of various avant-garde movements of that time, and its supporters were constantly persecuted by the authorities and persecuted in the press. They were deprived of the opportunity to freely communicate with the mass audience through the organization of exhibitions or the presentation of their work in the media.

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Order of the October Revolution

Order of the October Revolution View of the order from the front and back

View of the order from the front and back. Order of the October Revolution

The creation of a sketch for the Order of the October Revolution was entrusted to the artist Valentin Prokhorovich Zaitsev, who developed models for many orders and medals. All the main state symbols of that time are involved in the composition: the red banner, the hammer and sickle, the five-pointed star and the legendary cruiser Aurora.

The Order of the October Revolution was made of precious metals, the main material was silver, and the crossed sickle and hammer were cast with the addition of gold, palladium and copper. Blackening was applied on top for decoration and protection. The badge was fastened with an eyelet to a block covered with scarlet silk with light blue stripes. It should be worn on the left side.

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Order of Lenin as the highest award

Order of Lenin 1st type

Order of Lenin 1st type

The Order of Lenin became the third in a row and the main one in terms of seniority in the award system of the Soviet Union. The date of the official establishment is called April 6, 1930, but discussions about its foundation began in the summer of 1926.

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Order of the Red Banner

Order of the Red Banner

Order of the Red Banner

Order of the Red Banner – a pioneer in the award system of the Soviet Union

The development of a new award system began on the personal order of V. I. Lenin, and the initiative came from Nikolai Podvoisky and Leon Trotsky.

The leader of the proletariat imposed a positive resolution on the documents in the last days of August 1918. All six models were designed by Vladimir Vasilyevich Denisov, a graduate of the Stroganov School, who knew engraving and chasing well.

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Hallmarking silver in the USSR how to read the signs on the marking

Assay Office building in Moscow. Hallmarking silver in the USSR

Assay Office building in Moscow. Hallmarking silver in the USSR. 

Hallmarking of silver in the USSR has changed more than once in its history. Immediately after the revolution of 1917, most of the jewelry factories and workshops were closed in Russia. Fearing robberies, the owners of large and small enterprises fled abroad. Assay offices, which were previously engaged in hallmarking silver, ceased their work with the coming to power of the Bolsheviks.

Hallmarking of silver at the dawn of the USSR was of little concern to the Soviet government. The main goal of the authorities was the requisition of jewelry and their further sale abroad, since the state needed funds to finance the world revolution. The first steps to put things in order in the jewelry business were made in 1918, when a commission formed under the Council of People’s Commissars assumed control functions.

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