The sculptural group ‘partisans’ in the lobby of the metro station Partizanskaya, Moscow closeup. Soviet sculptor Matvey Manizer (1891-1966)

Works by Soviet sculptor Matvey Manizer (1891-1966) are well known to millions of people visiting Moscow. Frontier guard with a dog, woman with chicken, a young worker with a gear wheel, a revolutionary sailor, and dozens of other sculptures decorate the most famous Metro station “Revolution Square”. Soviet sculptor Matvey Manizer created them during 1936-1939. Matvey Manizer (1891-1966) – People’s Artist of the USSR (1958), Vice-President of the USSR Academy of Arts (1947-1966), the winner of three Stalin Prizes (1941, 1943, 1950). He created a number of works that have become classics of socialist realism. During the Great Patriotic War, in 1943 he donated the awarded Stalin Prize (the sum of 100 000 rubles) to the defense Fund. Soviet sculptor Matvey Manizer was the author of Stalin’s death mask.
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Sitting ballerina. Bronze. 1971. Soviet sculptor Angelina Filippova

The creative manner of the Soviet sculptor Angelina Filippova (1923-1986) is characterized by an excellent ownership of the form, understanding of the expressive possibilities of the material, sense of composition. The ability to successfully and rhythmically organize a composition space appeared in a series of works devoted to the ballet: “Sitting ballerina”, “Russian Ballet School”, “The Ballerinas”, “Holiday”, “Debutante,” “Ballet” and others. Since 1960, Filippova began working with great enthusiasm in the most interesting area of ​​plastics – medal art in which she showed great ingenuity and subtlety of composition. The first medal, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the death of Bagration, was followed by other works. Her medal gallery consists of bronze images of Beethoven, Rafael, Schiller, Stepan Razin, Dargomyzhsky, Magellan and others. Filippova was a constant participant of art exhibitions. Many of her works were awarded diplomas and certificates, and the sculptor herself – the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR.
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Soviet Russian sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov. Portrait of Vladimir Vysotsky. 1981. Marble

Soviet Russian sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov was born October 2, 1950 in Moscow, the USSR. He became a member of the USSR Union of Artists in 1974, Honored Artist of the RSFSR and the Kirghiz SSR in 1984. In the period of 1986-1988 Alexander was a Secretary of the Union artists of the USSR. In 1995 he was given a title of People’s artist of the Russian Federation. The same year Alexander became the Head of the Department of sculpture of Moscow State Art Institute named after VI Surikov, and professor (1999). In 1997 he was chosen a Member of the Russian Academy of Arts and member of the Presidential Commission on culture. Alexander Iulianovich Rukavishnikov – master of monumental and easel compositions, sculptural portraits. In 1976 he was awarded the Lenin Komsomol Prize (1976) – for the sculpture “Builders”, “Work”, “Michelangelo.”
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Soviet sculptor M. M. Yershov. (b. 1945 Leningrad). Builders. 1975. Fireclay. Socialist Realism Sculpture

Socialist Realism Sculpture

Great October Socialist Revolution meant a turning point in the life of Russia, in the political, economic and social character of being of its peoples. A special role in the birth and development of a new country played culture – public, media, multinational. The October Revolution created the necessary public, social, ideological and moral prerequisites for carrying out a revolution in the field of culture. New challenges arose before the older generation artists, who immediately accepted the revolution and expressed it in their work. In fact, the Soviet generation of artists – the creators of the Socialist Realism art, having no analogies in the world history.
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Work by Soviet sculptor Mikhail Lysenko. Established in 1964 monument to Lenin was demolished after the coup in Ukraine in 2016

Born October 16, 1906 in the village of Shpilyovka, Sumy region, Soviet sculptor Mikhail Lysenko grew in a peasant family. People’s Artist of the USSR (1963), member of the USSR Academy of Arts (since 1970), in 1948, Mikhail Lysenko joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
The future sculptor studied at the Kharkov Art Institute (1926 – 1931). Besides, he taught at the Kiev Art Institute from 1944, and became professor in 1947. He created monumental sculptures, however, the most important of them – the “Hill of Glory” in the cemetery of Soviet soldiers in Lvov (bronze, 1947). And also a monument to NA Shchors in Kiev (with co-authors, bronze, 1949-54), a monument to Lenin in Zaporozhye (with NM Sukhodolov; bronze, 1964), and a monument to VP Zatonsky in Khmelnytsky (granite, 1969).
Lysenko received the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and medals. Mikhail Lysenko died in the city of Kiev, May 8, 1972, after a hard trip to Turkmenistan. He was buried at the Baikovo cemetery.
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Lenin monument, Moscow Square, closeup. Soviet sculptor Mikhail Anikushin (1917 – 1997)

Soviet sculptor Mikhail Anikushin

In 1958, Mikhail Anikushin became a Corresponding Member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR and four years later – Academician (1962). He was People’s Artist of the USSR (1963), and Hero of Socialist Labor (1977). Among his awards – the Lenin Prize (1958) and the RSFSR State Prize of Repin (1986). He was a member of the Communist party since 1944, and veteran of Great Patriotic War (1941-1945).
Born 19 September 1917 in Moscow, Anikushin grew up in a working class family. Meanwhile, the artist wrote: “I – the son of the Moscow parquet floor maker, a wonderful wizard Konstantin Anikushin. He made parquet floor for those who stay in the hotel “Moscow” in the capital. My elder brother – an engineer-surveyor Vladimir Anikushin participated in the discovery and creation of Karaganda industrial area. And I had to be on a par with them. All that I did, and what happiness I had – I am obliged to Great October. And what I haven’t done yet – I must do”. Anikushin studied at the Leningrad Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture named after Ilya Repin from 1937 to 1947 with a break for the war years (1941-1945).
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Soviet sculptor Alexandra Briedis (July 25, 1901 – November 14, 1992). Portrait of schoolgirl Mary. 1970. Gypsum

Soviet sculptor Alexandra Briedis (Alexandra Yanovna Briede, nee Kalninya, 25 July 1901 — 14 November 1992) – People’s Artist of the Latvian SSR (1955), Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Arts (1958). Alexandra studied at the Academy of Arts in Riga (1923-31) at the workshop of K. Ronchevsky. She is the author of statues, tombstones, portraits, genre scenes, works of fine porcelain sculpture. Her works: “The young sculptor” (bronze, 1947), “The World” (marble, 1960), “Rain” (granite, 1969) – all were stored at the Art Museum of the Latvian SSR, Riga; “May there always be sunshine” (granite, 1963), “Antsite – Collective Farm Girl” (bronze, 1965), “My land” (aluminum 1967), “Lenin” (granite, 1969). She was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Order of Merit.
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