Soviet Art

She knew she would be an actress even at the age of five. Soviet actress Lyudmila Shagalova (1923-2012)

Soviet actress Lyudmila Shagalova

Born on April 6, 1923 in the city of Rogachev (Belarus), she grew in a military family. Two and a half years later, she was left without a mother. And in 1928 her father was transferred to Moscow for service, where Lyudmila went to school. While still a schoolgirl, she came into contact with cinema. First, she hit the newsreel when she greeted Papanin heroes at a rally. And then the director Yakov Protazanov saw her and gave a small role (Lelya) in his film “Seventh Graders” (1938).
In 1944, Shagalova entered VGIK – All-Union institute of Cinematography (workshop of S. Gerasimov and T. Makarova). Thanks to the teachers, her debut in big cinema took place in the film by S. Gerasimov “The Young Guard” (1948), where Shagalova played the role of Valeria Borts. Over the following years, the actress played a number of small roles. In particular, “The Big Concert” (1951; collective farmer Katya), “Farewell to America!” (1952; Cecilia Wong), “Faithful friends” (1954; Katya Sintsova), “They came down from the mountains” (1954; Nastya Bulanova), “In Search of a Destination” (1955; Natasha Sokolova).
Read more »

Published in 1979 set of postcards. 22 June 1941 fascist Germany attacked Russia. Moscow is now the Hero City. Soviet Moscow in drawings by Vladimir Semyonov (27 November 1936 – 19 December 2003)

Soviet Moscow in drawings by Vladimir Semyonov
Born in Moscow in 1936, Vladimir Ivanovich Semenov was a famous Soviet graphic artist. He graduated from the Moscow Polygraphic Institute in 1966. Noteworthy, he became famous for created by him sets of postcards about the capital. In particular, postcards for foreign tourists in 1990. And this post features 32 postcards ‘Moscow and Moscovites’ published in 1979.
Read more »

My collection. Produced in the Soviet Union badges

Produced in the Soviet Union badges
Collectors from Russia and neighboring countries are increasingly interested in rare badges issued in the Soviet Union. At that time, they were mass-produced – for propaganda purposes, for anniversaries and significant events – and cost a penny. Over the years, the cost of individual copies has increased many times. I have a small collection of such badges issued in the Soviet Union on various topics.
Soviet people enthusiastically collected badges, both children and adults. There were several reasons for this popularity: a huge range of products, penny price, and a variety of subjects. Particularly popular were the circulations devoted to cities, Lenin and communist party, sporting events, space and astronauts, anniversary dates, wars, famous people, monuments of architecture and more.
Read more »

Angel sculpture. Work by Soviet sculptor-animalist Alexey Tsvetkov (March 17, 1924, Russia, the village of Bukarevo, Tver Region – June 28, 2009, Moscow, Russia)

Soviet sculptor-animalist Alexey Tsvetkov
Aleksey Sergeevich Tsvetkov (1924-2009) – prominent Russian and Soviet sculptor-animal artist, a member of the USSR Union of artists. He was an Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, student of the most famous Soviet sculptor A. A. Vatagin. Veteran of World War II, Tsvetkov was a Cavalier of the Order of the Patriotic War of the first degree and Cavalier of the Order of the Red Star. According to art critics, Tsvetkov continued the traditions of Soviet animal sculptors. In particular, I. S. Efimov, V. A. Vatagin, A. G. Sotnikov, D. F. Tsaplin, along with his contemporaries A. V. Marts and A. M. Belashov. Traditionally, the artist created his sculptures using wood, metal, stone, porcelain and concrete, however, his favorite material was wood.
Read more »

Celluloid beasts of the Soviet sculptor animalist Boris Vorobyov (November 6, 1911, Tomsk – April 25, 1990, Leningrad)

Soviet sculptor animalist Boris Vorobyov

Probably, each of Soviet family had porcelain or plastic animal figures at home, and the author of them was Vorobyov. The animal sculptor worked in various materials: porcelain, faience, ceramics, glass, wood and metal. He is one of the leading animal sculptors and artists of the Leningrad Porcelain Factory, Honored Artist of the RSFSR, participant of all-Union and international exhibitions. His works are in the Hermitage, the Russian Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery, museums and private collections.
Boris (Isai) Vorobyov was born in the city of Tomsk in 1911. Until the age of 25, Boris himself had no idea that he would become an animal sculptor and this would become the work of his life. During his life, he tried many professions: he was an assistant to a bricklayer, a school teacher, and even an air gymnast in a circus. Also, he served at a dairy factory and studied at the construction college. In 1932, he entered the Moscow Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering, but in 1936 left it and moved to Leningrad to enter the Academy of Arts to become a sculptor.
Read more »

Lenin among peasants. 1957. Work by Soviet Russian sculptor Alexey Sotnikov (October 3, 1904 – February 18, 1989)

Soviet Russian sculptor Alexey Sotnikov
The second half of the 50s has become a turning point in the development of all Soviet art, associated with internal changes in the country. Almost all Soviet artists captured new ideas in architecture and fine arts, the struggle against embellishment in all areas of arts and crafts. In particular, the artists – ceramists were in the forefront of the new movement for exposing the design and form. Thus, they reduced decorative elements, preferring the frank presentation of ceramics as a material. And A.G. Sotnikov approved this line precisely.
In 1957, Sotnikov created his famous Falcon, followed by a number of white porcelain birds. Noteworthy, a series of white birds brought glory to Dulevo porcelain factory.
At the first post-war International Exhibition in Brussels in 1958, the Falcon, along with his other works, received the highest award – the Grand Prix.
Read more »

Directed by Roman Tikhomirov film ‘The Queen of Spades’. 1960. Soviet Russian film actress Olga Krasina

Soviet Russian film actress Olga Krasina

The magnificent actress Olga Krasina! It seems that the time has long passed when I was fascinated by the Queen of Spades movie, and now, having reviewed it again now, I still have the same feeling of a beautiful acting ensemble. Olga Krasina, in my opinion, is simply a find in this film! One can’t find a face, and indeed the whole appearance for this role. There is something directly divine in her. A lovely charming appearance, and at the same time strength, naivety and credulity, at the same time some kind of tragedy and predestination.
At the end of the filming of The Queen of Spades, Olga Mikhailovna was admitted to the State Institute of Theater and Cinema, from which she graduated in 1964.

Olga Mikhailovna Krasina was born on May 24, 1941 in Moscow. The girl grew not only talented, but also hardworking. In addition to a school with in-depth study of foreign languages, she also graduated from a music school. In 1959, she entered the acting faculty of the State Institute of Theater and Cinema, the workshop of Sergei Gerasimov and Tamara Makarova. After studying for one semester, Krasina was invited to the role of Lisa in the movie opera The Queen of Spades, but Gerasimov flatly refused to let his student go on set. Not wanting to lose her role, Olga Krasina decided to leave the institute.
Read more »