Soviet Art

Pigeon species USSR matchbox labels, 1963, green paper

Pigeon species USSR matchbox labels
Pigeon, as the symbol of world peace has always been an inspiration for Soviet artists, song writers and film directors. Besides, pigeon keeping was extremely popular in the Soviet Union. There were clubs for pigeon lovers, and dovecotes were in every yard. Circling flocks of beautiful birds – white, black and blue-gray doves flew over our heads. Pigeons could always be seen on the roof of the dovecotes, looking from above at the whistling and waving children. Pigeon keeping was a favorite hobby of many Soviet men. And especially for pigeon fanciers, or just bird lovers and ornithologists issued matchbox labels and postage stamps with the images of pigeon breeds.
Unfortunately, dovecotes began to disappear as a class by the end of the 90s. With the collapse of the USSR changed interests and, gradually pigeon keeping seized to exist. Although pigeon lovers clubs still exist and volunteers support old city tradition, but one can hardly gather a flock of birds with just one cheerful whistle, as it was before.
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Pyotr Kozlov. Old toys. New Year holiday in Soviet art

New Year holiday in Soviet art

25 years ago the Soviet Union ceased to exist, but in a good holiday traditions, the Soviet feast remains typically Soviet. Again and again, on December 31 people sit at the Soviet New Year’s table, watching on TV traditional Soviet congratulation, now from the President, and best Soviet films “Irony of fate…” and “Carnival Night”, drink “Soviet champagne”, and eat Soviet tangerines and Soviet salad “Olivier” .
Despite all the changes of recent years, many families still preserve the Soviet Christmas cards just because they are nice. A paintings of Soviet artists on the New Year theme reminiscent of those who are no longer with us, and force to recall our childhood – the most beautiful time in everyone’s life. That is why the Soviet New Year’s painting – a piece of history of the country and of each individual family.
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Illustration by Soviet artist Tatyana Yeryomina. On New Year eve. 1953

Member of the USSR Union of Artists and Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1966) Soviet artist Tatyana Yeryomina (1912-1995) was a graphic, poster artist, and illustrator of children’s books. Tatyana Alexeyevna Yeryomina was born in Moscow. She studied at the Moscow Regional Art Teachers College (1927-1931) and at the Moscow Art Institute. Studied in the workshops of Sergei Gerasimov and Alexander Deineka (1931-1938). Her diploma work was a series of posters on the theme “Soviet woman”, for which she received a diploma of the first degree.
Since 1930 she began working in the field of poster. It was themes of socialist labor, agriculture, and childhood. Among her works – “Let’s show at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition achievements of state farms and collective farms” (1939), “With exemplary work of kindergartens and nurseries we can help to learning, growth, and career of young working mothers” (1940), and more. Since 1934, she drew for magazines: “30 days”, “Change”, “Murzilka”. Tatyana Yeryomina actively participated in exhibitions of Soviet art since 1937. Since 1950 she illustrated and designed books for publishers: “Children’s Literature”, “Children’s World”, “Detgiz” and others. In addition, she worked much in the easel graphics and lithography (“Tower in the pool,” 1930).
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Still life with mask. 1934. Soviet artist Beniamin Basov 1933-2000

Soviet artist Beniamin Basov
The bright, changeable, sometimes full of contrasts the life of the Soviet art has left its mark on the creative biography of the vast majority of artists who started their way into the post-war years. Considering many of them, you see how changed the language of art over the years, finding new forms, and new themes.
Beniamin Basov seemed to stand apart from these rather drastic changes. Since that time, he graduated from the Moscow Art Institute (1948), and his work developed by its own laws, while maintaining amazing consistency and integrity. Having received from his teachers (primarily from Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov) traditions of Russian realistic art, Basov stays true to this tradition. His paintings and drawings always maintain the vitality of the observations, the accuracy of the figure, and the objectivity of artistic vision. These qualities are inherent in the art of Basov constantly – from the mid-fifties to his last day.
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Sunset in Buzovny. 1973-1974. Oil on canvas. Property of artist. Soviet Azerbaijani artist Farhad Khalilov

Soviet Azerbaijani artist Farhad Khalilov

Generation of Soviet Azerbaijani painters to which Farhad Khalilov (b. 1946) belongs, began his career with a sense of gratitude to his senior colleagues. Tahir Salahov and Tofig Javadov, each in its own way, discovered the painting world of industry people, stern, and reserved. In the sixties, the concept of “Soviet Azerbaijani school of painting” has acquired a new meaning. It has been widely accepted outside the republic as a significant and independent phenomenon. In the canvases of Farhad Khalilov, we also immediately feel the internal relationship with these new traditions of Azerbaijani painting. And in the understanding of color, and in a hidden but undeniable sense of decoration, and the temperamental brush.
Khalilov began studying at the Stroganov School of Industrial Art, then, after a long break, he graduated from the Moscow Institute of Printing. And at the same time, perhaps, never seriously intended to leave for any applied arts, or in the book, and all the time was drawing, studying and perfecting the craft of the painter.
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Alexander Nikolayev (Usto Mumin). 1897-1957. Dutar player. 1920s. Tempera on panel. Tashkent art museum of Soviet Uzbekistan

Tashkent art museum of Soviet Uzbekistan

Today the Tashkent art museum boasts аn ехсеllеnt collection of Russian paintings. The inimitable огigiпаlitу of eighteenth сеntuгу portraiture is reflected in the works of А. Antropov, D. Levitsky, F. Rokotov апd V. Borovikovsky. Besides, there аге portraits аnd urban landscapes created bу unknown агtists of the eighteenth and early пineteenth centuries. The material amassed in the Museum gives ап idea of the diversity of themes апd the depth of insight into life characteristic of early nineteenth сеnturу Russian artists, as well as of the development of genre, lапdsсаре апd portrait painting in the пiпеtеепth сеntury.
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Vasily Vereshchagin. 1842-1904. Opium eaters. 1867. Oil on canvas. Soviet Uzbekistan Art museum collection

Soviet Uzbekistan Art museum collection

Тhe first state art museum in central Asia was established at а time when the young Soviet Republic, despite the соmрlех international situation, foreign intervention and есопоmic disruption, was taking аll possible measures to save and preserve the art treasures that were its national heritage. It is аbovе аll with this in mind that the Soviet government issued its first decrees of 1917-18 оп the nationalization of museums and private collections, and оп the рreservation of historic and artistic monuments. Аll this was in complete accord with the general aims of the Soviet government in its attempt to bring about а cultural revolution.
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