Masters of Soviet caricature Kukryniksy

Masters of Soviet caricature Kukryniksy – creative team of Soviet graphic artists – Mikhail Kupriyanov (1903-1991), Porfiry Krylov (1902-1990) and Nikolay Sokolov (1903-2000). They were full members of the Academy of Arts of the USSR (1947), People’s Artists of the USSR (1958), Heroes of Socialist Labor. Their pseudonym “Kukryniksy” is made up of the first syllables of their names. Three artists worked by collective creativity (each also worked individually – on portraits and landscapes). The greatest popularity brought them numerous masterfully executed caricatures and cartoons, as well as book illustrations created in the typical style of caricature.

They have become classics of Soviet political cartoons, understood as an instrument of political struggle against the enemy, and did not recognize the other trends in art and caricature. Their political cartoons often published in the main Soviet newspaper “Pravda”, belong to the best examples of this genre. Kukryniksy have created numerous political posters (“Transformation of Krauts”, “People warn” and others.). They are also known as the painters and masters of easel.

Creativity of Kukryniksy impresses with its diversity. Inspiration and hard work of thoughtful artists on large canvases, caricature, poster, book illustration, and even over the sculptural portrait, seeking in every form of art results. The extraordinary relevance of subjects, ideological orientation and clarity of content, originality and laconic artistic language – these clearly visible to everyone quality of Kukryniksy works make them understandable to the widest range of Soviet viewers and readers.

Masters of Soviet caricature Kukryniksy

Sources:
Masters of Soviet caricature, 1961. Published by magazine “Crocodile”, USSR
magazine Young Artist, 1981