Glorification of labor in Soviet art
Glorification of labor in Soviet art. Yuri Mikhailovich Neprintsev (August 15, 1909 – October 20, 1996). Metro builders – drifters, 1959
Glorification of labor in Soviet art
Any work in the Soviet times was held in high esteem, and proletarian enjoyed not less respect than office worker. To be a worker was beneficial, prestige and promising in the USSR. Without workers – turners, millers, welders – Soviet production would not have reached such high results. It is the working class of the Soviet Union kept the industry. Labor heroes were at the same level as movie stars, if not higher. They were often invited to television programs, interviewed, their portraits decorated magazine covers, about them were filmed documentaries and feature films. Not surprisingly, the theme of workers has been widely reflected in the works of famous artists, and to draw the heroes of socialist labor was an honorable thing.
Glorification of labor in Soviet art. Yigitali Tursunnazarov (born 1941) Young cotton growers. 1976. Oil on canvas
In the 1980s, the Soviet economy in terms of gross figures ranked second in the world, second only to the United States. Soviet Union was among the top ten countries with the highest standard of living. Thus productivity in the USSR in the industry remained lower than in the United States, 2 times. The share of the Soviet Union in world industrial output was 20%.
Vasily Prokofievich Efanov. (born 1900). Portrait of a Hero of Socialist Labor milkmaid SK Krylova. 1971. Oil
Soviet worker has always been held in high esteem. To him was drawn all attention, he was encouraged, and awarded orders and medals. Experts have always been at a premium. They were supported at every possible way. The bonuses included: monthly, quarterly, annual payment. The standard premium amount was set in the range of 20-40% of salary and wages. Incentive payments can be as high as 100%. But such cases were exceptional. In addition, the best workers encouraged free vouchers to sanatoriums, tourist trips. And what’s most important – any worker could get an apartment for free, the question was only in the terms.
V.V. Kiselev (Moscow). Honored farmer, a veteran of war and work N. Prokofiev. 1981. Oil on canvas
Contrary to popular belief, drunkenness was not widespread among Soviet workers. In the Soviet Union struggled with alcoholism: the worker could be fired, if incident happened it was discussed in the working team, he could be sent to medical treatment. For drinking alcohol at work (in the workplace) was a fine of 30 to 50 rubles. It was a decent sum in those days.
There wasn’t large gap in the income of a boss and a worker. So how much a good specialist earned? For example, salary of the director of the plant was equal to 320 rubles. The worker – specialist of the 6-7-th category, too, earned well: up to 300 rubles per month. (Note: The minimum wage in the USSR in 1977 was 70 rubles per month (Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of December 24, 1976). The communal payments were not more than 10 rubles a month.
Glorification of labor in Soviet art
V. P. Kupriyanov (Rostov-on-Don). At the shaft furnace. From the series ‘On Atommash’. 1981. Autolithograph
AS Mayorov. Change is coming. From the series ‘Weekdays of the Novgorod Chemical Complex’. 1976
At a construction site. Watercolour on paper. 1945 Kemerovo Regional Museum of Fine Arts
Blast furnaces Kuzbass. 1947. Kemerovo Regional Museum of Fine Arts
DV Zhuravlev (Novgorod). Portrait of a Hero of Socialist Labor AN Butorov, worker of Cherepovets plant. 1978. Oil on canvas
Evgeny Katzman (born 1890). Portrait of KV Petrova – a Hero of Socialist Labour, pro-rector of the College of Agriculture in Karavaevo, Kostroma region. 1970. Pastel
Ilya Rakhnaev (1934-2003) Cotton growers of collective farm ‘Tajikistan’. 1975. Oil on canvas
Ionas Mikolo Kuzminskis. (born 1906). Portrait of a kolkhoz chairman ‘By Leninist path’ A.I. Slavenskas. 1971. Cut engraving
IP Bevzenko (b. 1927) first steel of Komsomol. 1958 fragment
IP Bevzenko (b. 1927) first steel of Komsomol. 1958 oil on canvas
Izzat Klychev (born 1923). A veteran of the collective farm. 1970. Oil
N.V. Konovalova (1951, Moscow). Gathering herbs. 1974. Oil on canvas
Mikhail Statny (b. 1942) The winners of competition ‘work skills’. 1975 oil on canvas
N. Pavlov. To the collective farm. 1977
Nikolai Osenev (1909-1983). Future railway engineers. 1950. Oil on canvas
NV Toktaulov. Haymaking. 1975
PI Kotov (1889-1953). Portrait of EK Mikheeva. 1947. Oil on canvas
Portrait of PA Malinina, a Hero of Socialist Labor, the chairman of the kolkhoz of ‘the XII October’ Kostroma region. 1970. Pastel
Sergey Ivanovich Galben (Born 1942) The tractor brigade. 1975 oil on canvas, fragment
Sh Bedoyev (Ordzhonikidze). Veteran of the collective farm Sonka Gunashvili. 1981. Oil on canvas
SV Ryangina (1891-1959). Let’s go higher. 1934. Oil on canvas
E.E. Lansere (1875-1946). The underground mine excavation. 1935. Watercolor on paper
I. N. Klychev (b. 1923) Carpet makers. 1972. Oil on canvas
MA Faidysh (b. 1946, Moscow). Tarusa lace masters. 1975. Oil on canvas
NP Latyshenko (b. 1937) first tractor. 1969. Oil on canvas
S. Kurbanov (b. 1946). Youth of Tajikistan. 1976 oil on canvas
Unknown author. Agitation plaque on the building of the printing house in Moscow. Gypsum. 1918
A.M. Alalov (born 1950). Construction crew. 1978 (wood)
A.M. Alalov. A song. 1979
A. Ananiev. Dmitri Shostakovich (young composer, during the war years in blocade Leningrad). Gypsum. 1987
A. Venshev. Komsomol members of the Baikal. Tinted plaster 1987
B. Batakov. Ballet School. Plasticine. 1984
Copper sculpture ‘Metallurgists’. 1974. Sculptor Yu. D. Grishko
F. Abdurakhmanov. Shepherd. 1950. Bronze
G.G. Vasiliev (born 1940). Loggers. 1972 (wood)
H.A. Akhmedov. Sculptor M. Marksimov. 1979
V. Bazhinov. Master and apprentice. Copper. 1980
