Soviet Art

A.N. Volkov. Girls with cotton. 1932. Soviet Art Gallery of one-picture artists

Soviet Art Gallery of one-picture artists

For the lovers of art, and in particular, the Soviet period, I propose to get acquainted with another collection of works by artists of the period of the USSR. All images – scanned from Soviet catalogs, books and illustrated albums on Soviet fine arts, which I have been collecting for many years. In particular, the gallery includes works by artists of the Soviet period, performed in different genres – portraits of workers and artists, urban and industrial landscapes, still lifes and genre painting. However, they all belong to the art of socialist realism,
characterized by a close connection with life, social development through unique, individualized images of people and events. And, most importantly, reflecting the life of glorious Soviet past and present, they charged with the revolutionary romanticism and historical life-affirming optimism.
However, the method of socialist realism did not mean uniformity, although it assumed a single ideological and aesthetic basis of art. On the contrary, there is a diversity of individualities, genres, styles, artistic forms and national characteristics. Just look, for example, at the above picture – “The girls with cotton”, created in 1932 by Soviet artist A.N. Volkov.
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“We’ll go the other way!” (1951). Young Vladimir Lenin with his mother. Painting by Soviet artist Pyotr Petrovich Belousov (1912-1989)

Soviet artist Pyotr Petrovich Belousov
Honored Artist of the RSFSR. People’s Artist of the RSFSR, Corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Arts. An outstanding Russian artist, the pupil of Brodsky, Pyotr Petrovich Belousov is the author of the iconic Soviet painting “We’ll go the other way!” (1951). Also, he is the author of many paintings devoted to the leader of Great October revolution. Among most notable works – “VI Lenin among delegates of the Third Congress of the Komsomol”. (1949), etc. In addition, he is the author of drawings, etchings, lithographs, and bookplates.
He studied at the studios of the USSR Academy of Arts and in the “Community of Artists”. Participated in the exhibitions of the Society of A.I. Kuindzhi (1930).
The graduatee of the Academy of I.E. Repin (1933-1939) he received a diploma with honors for the painting “On the eve of October.” Participated in the largest exhibitions of Soviet art since 1930. Approved the head of the Department of Painting and Drawing of the Institute of I.E. Repin for the painting “Greek patriot in the fascist prison” (1956).
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Granny’s outfits. 1957. Painting by Soviet artist Mikhail Sergeyevich Barancheyev (1920-1996)

Soviet artist Mikhail Sergeyevich Barancheyev
Born in the village of Kalinovo of Moscow region, Barancheyev was fond of drawing since childhood. Fascinated by art, he studied in the studio of famous artist Alexander Buzovkin in the Serpukhov House of Pioneers. Later, he always remembered the teacher with gratitude, who for the rest of his life instilled in him a love of art. Barancheyev continued his artistic education in the Moscow Art College (1946-1947), and then entered the second year of the Moscow Art Institute of Surikov. His leaders were prominent Soviet artists professors F.A. Modorov and D.K. Mochalsky. At the same time he worked in the studio of military artists of Grekov.
In fact, it was at the institute, where they sacredly honored traditions of the Russian art school. Firmly believed in the principles of realistic art, he remained faithful to them throughout his creative life.
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Lenin and Stalin. 1945. Sculptor A. Topchiev. Soviet sculpture socialist sacred traditions

Soviet sculpture socialist sacred traditions
Monumental art, and in particular sculpture, was a chronicle of the life of Soviet peoples, and the affirmation of the ideals of communist society. The desire of Soviet artists to always be together with the people, to express its thoughts and hopes, to be side by side in the struggle became one of the sacred traditions of socialist culture.
Accordingly, monumental and decorative art was a means of forming the spiritual climate of socialist cities and villages, a weapon of monumental propaganda, and not just a way to organize a material and spatial environment. The works of sculptors embodied high social ideals, educating millions of people. Also, images of heroes and events, which forever preserve the people’s memory, were imprinted.
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V.B. Pinchuk. Lenin in Razliv. Bronze. 1935. Soviet sculptures high spiritual pathos

Soviet sculptures high spiritual pathos
Traditionally, the art of sculpture in the USSR had a special socio-political significance. In fact, the formation of Soviet sculpture was inseparable from the Leninist plan of monumental propaganda. In particular, the first revolutionary monuments and commemorative plaques were created on its basis, and later many significant works of monumental sculpture. However, at first central to the sculpture was the theme of the revolution, the image of a participant in revolutionary events, the builder of socialism. Accordingly – during the Great Patriotic War – the image of the hero, the winner. And already in the post-war years in the easel sculpture a great place took the worker and collective farmer. Besides, animalistic sculpture, and sculpture of small forms was developing.
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After work. Painting by Soviet artist Konstantin Alexeyevich Shurupov (1910-1985, member of the USSR Union of artists). Soviet art through one picture artists

Soviet art through one picture artists
As a big fan of the USSR culture, I have a wide collection of paintings by various Soviet artists. However, from thousands of my albums, alongside with prominent Soviet artists and their galleries of paintings, there are artists of one picture. Sometimes, these artists died young (WWII, or an accident) and remained known as the authors of one-two painting created by them. Or, perhaps, they are one picture artists only for me, as I was able to find only one picture of a certain artist. However, as it often happens, one picture artist may become an author of lots of paintings, and if so, I will publish a separate post about such artist. It usually happens when I come across an illustrated album of an unknown before artist somewhere in this or that library. Meanwhile, scanned from different art catalogs, books, magazines and illustrated albums, these paintings may interest those who enjoy the art of the glorious USSR. The same as I do.
In the above picture – the work by Soviet artist Konstantin Alexeyevich Shurupov (1910-1985), member of the USSR Union of artists, born in Kharkov. In 1939 he graduated from Kiev Art institute, workshop of F. Krichevsky. He painted landscapes, still lifes and genre compositions. Lived and worked in Kiev. A participant of the Second World War, awarded with orders and medals.
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At the crossing. Illustration by Soviet graphic artist Vitaly Goryaev. (14 April 1910 April 12, 1982)

Soviet graphic artist Vitaly Goryaev

Born 14 April 1910 in Tobolsk province, Vitaly Nikolaevich Goryaev – graphic illustrator, painter, and caricaturist. In 1921 the family moved to Chita, where he began his artistic career, publishing the first drawings in the newspaper “Transbaikalian Worker”. In 1929 he came to Moscow, where, on the advice and with the help of V.V. Mayakovsky, entered the Moscow Higher Art and Technical Institute (VKhTEIN). In 1931 he moved to the Moscow Polygraphic Institute, from which he graduated in 1934. His mentors in different years were D.S. Moore, V.A. Favorsky, A.A. Deineka and S. V. Gerasimov.
Member of the Union of Artists of the USSR (1932). Immediately after graduation, he began work as a cartoonist, and from the end of 1935 he collaborated with the magazine Crocodile, in which he served for 30 years. In the journal he worked and was friends with L.V. Soyfertis, Yu.A.Ganf, I.M. Semenov, L.G. Brodatov, etc.
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