Paintings of Soviet artists: a list of the most famous

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

While the work and names of most Russian pre-revolutionary artists are known even to small children, the painters of the USSR period are, as it were, in the shadows. Since school, many people remember such canvases as "Morning", "Wet Terrace", "Again Deuce". But if visually they are familiar to everyone and everyone, then the names of the authors are hardly remembered. Let's get acquainted with the list of the most outstanding paintings by Soviet artists.

Death of the Commissioner

One of the most famous paintings by Soviet artists is the painting by Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin "The Death of a Commissar", written in 1928. The plot of the canvas, which can be seen in the main photo, demonstrates a private tragedy against the background of the civil war. The young commissar dies in the arms of his assistant officer. He does not let go of the rifle and looks bitterly after the departing detachment, as if still hoping to get up and continue the fight.

The artist worked on one of the main canvases of his painting career for a year, making it in the style of the so-called "tricolor" - a method of painting using only three primary colors. Currently, the painting can be seen in the State Russian Museum of St. Petersburg.

Again deuce

And this canvas is best known because its reproduction has been featured in textbooks for half a century, representing material for writing. The painting "Again deuce" by the artist Fyodor Reshetnikov was painted in 1952, showing a true example of the genre of everyday painting in the middle of the last century.

Not many people know that "deuce" is the second work in the artistic trilogy of Fyodor Pavlovich. It is preceded by a bright New Year's Eve painting "Arrived on vacation" in 1948 - its "reproduction" can be seen in this picture, to the left of the doorway above the tear-off calendar. The third part - "Reexamination" was completed in 1954, and in it you can see a "reproduction" of the previous canvas over the main character's desktop.

"Again deuce" is in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

Lenin on the podium

It is simply impossible to imagine the history of Soviet art without this monumental canvas by Alexander Gerasimov. Vibrant colors, movement effects and powerful ideological overtones make this depiction of VladimirIlyich Lenin one of the most recognizable and outstanding. Gerasimov conceived to write "Lenin on the podium" back in 1920, but it took the artist ten years to create the picture.

Despite the fact that the picture was painted in Gerasimov's favorite style, close to impressionism, it is usually classified as a social genre. realism. The pose and movement of the red flags, reminiscent of flames, give the figure of Lenin an almost mythological image - he seems to be flying forward, inspired by his burning idea. The stormy sky symbolizes the coming revolutionary storm.

You can see the monumental canvas at the State Historical Museum on Red Square in Moscow.

Blue Spring

In the same 1930, another recognizable painting of the Soviet period was created - the work of Vasily Baksheev "Blue Spring". But how different are these two works! Baksheev's canvas by all indications resembles the work of the old pre-revolutionary masters, and his mood, like the compositional solution, is timeless. Such a "Blue Spring" could have been written centuries before the change of regime, and during the Soviet period, and even today, in a birch forest, you can see a similar peaceful landscape.

Currently, the work is stored in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

Morning

Another prominent representative of the works of Soviet everyday realism is a picture that is also familiar to all of us from the lessonsRussian language and essay writing. The artist Tatyana Yablonskaya painted "Morning" in 1954 and created immortal fame for herself with this uncomplicated work.

The picture contains real morning magic, understandable to everyone: bright sunlight, a felt flow of fresh air rushing in from the open balcony, a simple breakfast on the table and a teenage girl "flying" towards a new day in her physical pose.

In addition to textbooks, the famous painting can be seen in the Moscow Tretyakov Gallery.

Defense of Petrograd

Artist Alexander Deineka painted this painting, which has a cult significance for all Soviet art in the first half of the 20th century, twice - the first time in 1928, the second - in 1954. Both versions are in Moscow and practically do not differ - the original is kept in the Museum of the Armed Forces of the USSR, and the author's reproduction in the Tretyakov Gallery.

In the genre of symbolic social. realism, the painting depicts two detachments of the defenders of the city during the Civil War. The special power inherent in the plot is manifested in the movement of the retreating wounded soldiers, while the determined volunteers, among whom there are women, step forward in step, ready to defend their city, ideals and common goal.

It is curious that Deineka wrote all the characters for the heroes of his painting from factory workers who actually took part in the Civil War.

New Moscow

This painting by the artist Pimenov is associated by many with the 60s of the last century, although it was painted back in 1937. But the brightness of the colors, the progressive woman driving the car, and the general color scheme of the picture make it look too much like a scene from a thaw movie.

In fact, Yuri Pimenov did not plan to depict the 37th year, but as if looking into the future - and he succeeded. It was the coming light years, similar to the renewal that brings fresh summer rain, that the painter tried to convey in "New Moscow".

Often, the picture is called congenial to the work of American artists of that time and preceding the direction of "glamorous" painting. This is easily explained by the following fact: the picture was created specifically for participation from the Soviet delegation at the World Exhibitions in New York and Paris, where, by the way, Pimenov received the Gold Medal.

Currently "New Moscow" is in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Bolshevik

The classic and most popular painting of the first post-revolutionary years can be safely called the painting "Bolshevik", painted by Boris Kustodiev in 1920. Trying to comprehend the coming of a new power, the famous artist decided to create an allegorical picture, although he had not previously resorted to such an expressive means. A huge Bolshevik, symbolizing the new power, is solemnly and purposefully striding over the city, stepping through the streets flooded with people. Bright red flagenvelops the tops of buildings, going far deep into the canvas.

It is curious that Kustodiev himself was afraid that his picture might be misunderstood, and therefore did not send "Bolshevik" to the exhibition. However, the fears did not come true and the canvas not only gained immense popularity, but also became a kind of symbol of the revolution.

You can see this painting by Kustodiev in the Moscow Tretyakov Gallery.

V. I. Lenin in Razliv in 1917

This 1934 canvas is considered not only the most outstanding among the works of the painter Arkady Rylov, but also one of the most significant images of Vladimir Lenin during his stay in Razliv on the eve of the October Revolution. An amazing combination of landscape, monumentalism and historical portrait at one time made the painting "V. I. Lenin at Razliv in 1917" not only a cult object, but also a mandatory subject of Russian language lessons.

You can see the work of art at the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

Hoarfrost

And here is another painting by VN Baksheev - "Hoarfrost", the same inspired and timeless picture as "Blue Spring". It is worth noting that the epithet "blue" is also applicable to this work, since the radiance of the frosty sky is literally reflected in the fresh snow, giving the whole picture a dreamy and magical shade.

You can watch this beautiful canvas of 1900 live in Moscow,in the Tretyakov Gallery.

After the Rain (Wet Terrace)

Unlike "Lenin on the podium", this painting by Gerasimov, created in 1935, is much closer to his favorite style and impressionist mood. And, along with "Deuce" and "Morning", "After the Rain" is familiar to everyone from the school course and the compulsory essay based on it.

What makes the picture unique and memorable is the feeling of freshness after the rain, surprisingly accurately conveyed by Alexander Mikhailovich - despite the fact that the landscape is made outside the realism genre, an illusion of smell from wet foliage, flowers, table and terrace is created.

It is worth noting that, along with Pimenov's "New Moscow", the canvas "After the Rain" was also presented at the World Exhibition in Paris, where it was awarded the Grand Prix. The painting is currently in Moscow and exhibited at the Tretyakov Gallery.

First snow

Memorable and very touching is the picture of the Soviet artist Arkady Plastov. It was painted in 1946 and is currently located in the city of Tver, in the Regional Art Gallery.

The first year after the war, a real landscape and a house in the village of Prislonikha and two children - a boy and a girl, painted from several different children at once, who lived there and posed for the artist in turn. Simple and sincere joy from the first snow, immediate happiness from returning to a peaceful life -the children did not forget the horrors of the war, but it did not allow their hearts to harden and unlearn how to see reasons to smile.

Children are the favorite heroes of Arkady Alexandrovich's paintings, but it was this work that received the greatest attention and recognition: not only from Soviet artists and government officials, but also at international exhibitions and competitions.

Vasily Terkin

Illustrations occupy a huge place in the history of Soviet art, and therefore it is simply impossible to ignore this cultural layer, remembering the best and most famous paintings. Perhaps the most striking example is the illustration of the protagonist of Tvardovsky's poem "Vasily Terkin" by Orest Vereisky.

This accurate and cheerful image, along with the literary original, became a real personification of the Soviet soldier, a Red Army soldier, and largely predetermined the classic appearance of an ordinary war hero, not only for subsequent illustrations, but also for cinema.

Currently, this illustration, along with most of the artist's other works, is stored and exhibited at the Dokuchaev Museum of Local Lore, Novodugino village, Smolensk region.

Frost and sun

Soviet landscape painters and their paintings do not occupy such a large area in the art of the last century, which they occupied in the 18-19th centuries. Much more often were written, and were more in demand works in the genres of historical portrait, social.realism or everyday realism. So the artist Viktor Tsyplakov preferred to work in these genres. But, ironically, the best of his works was and is still recognized as a rare landscape for his portfolio, namely the painting "Frost and Sun", named after the famous line from Pushkin's poem "Winter Morning".

We also remember her from the course of school essays. And how can one not admire the freshness and liveliness of this canvas? You can admire the painting "Frost and Sun" live in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Wedding on tomorrow's street

Completing the list of the most famous paintings by Soviet artists is another painting by Yuri Pimenov, only painted much later than "New Moscow" - in 1962. And if the previously described work only resembled a thaw, then "Wedding on Tomorrow Street" reflects all the triumph of this period.

The work of the artist Pimenov is unique in that he did something impossible and unimaginable - he combined glamorous painting, all with the same light touch of New York gloss, and the most that neither is social. realism. And the result was not an absurdity, but a sincere and joyful picture of the heart. Showing the newlyweds as pioneers at the construction site of a new street is the best allegory for building a new world and a future life, which all the inhabitants of the Soviet country then dreamed of.

Currently, the work can be seen in the Moscow Tretyakov Gallery.