Welcome to the Museum of Socialist Realism Museum Entrance Room Two Room One Room Three Room Four

Pre-Soviet Art Room Room 1 Return to Entry

Early Russian Influences Room Return to Entry

Proletariat Room Room 3 Return to Entry

Communist Party Room Room 4 Return to Entry

New Rome Sil’vestr Feodsievich Shchedrin, New Rome, 1825. Even though he was a prominent 19th Century Russian painter, Shchedrin depicts this softly-colored Italian cityscape. Before the mandate of Socialist Realism, Russian painters had the freedom to glorify foreign countries through art. Return to Exhibit

Sadko in the Underwater Kingdom Il’ia Efimovich Repin, Sadko in the Underwater Kingdom, 1876. Repin’s painting is a conceptual image of an epic from traditional Russian folklore. It attempts to bring a conventionally oral tale into the real world through creative interpretation. The subjectivity required to paint this scene is at odds with the strict realism that would later be implemented by the Soviet Union. Return to Exhibit

Spring Flood Isaak Levitan, Spring Flood, 1897. While Isaak Levitan attempts realism in this painting of a Russian landscape, it was obviously created outside of the era of Socialist Realism. It has no purpose in advancing the agenda of the state, and doesn’t involve an acknowledgement of communism or equality. Return to Exhibit

The Iron Flood Alexander Serafimovich, The Iron Flood, 1924. Serafimovich’s novel is one of the first literary examples of Socialist Realism. It isn’t specific to the Soviet Union, but recounts a tale of revolutionary members of the proletariat. Literature like this planted the seeds of communism that blossomed during the era of Socialist Realism. Return to Exhibit

The Boyarynia Morozova Vasily Surikov, The Boyarynia Morozova, 1887. This paining by Vasily Surikov displays the early development of socialist realism in Russia. Realistic depictions of impoverished men such as this inspired later works that realistically represented the proletariat. It attempts to shock the viewer with a strikingly lifelike image of poverty to persuade the audience towards a communist ideology. Return to Exhibit

The Bolshevik Boris Kustodiev, The Bolshevik, 1920. This piece shows how early works of art depicted the power of communism. While this isn’t a realistic painting, it has a strong message of socialism. The blatantly Russian giant marching through a city with a red flag foreshadows the coming communist movement in Russia. Return to Exhibit

Rest After Battle Yuri Neprintsev, Rest After Battle, 1951. A piece by Yuri Neprintsev, this painting is an example of how socialist realism represented the proletariat struggle. Despite the hardships surrounding the group, communal brotherhood keeps them smiling and happy. This style of art helped convince the audience of the legitimacy of communism. Return to Exhibit

Haymaking Tatiana Plastova, Haymaking, 1935. Haymaking by Tatiana Plastova successfully glorifies the labor of the working class. The beauty of nature surrounds upstanding citizens who are working towards a communal good. The communist agenda is successfully advanced through a glorification of remedial labor. Return to Exhibit

Holiday on the Kolkhoz Sergey Gerasimov, Holiday on the Kolkhoz, 1937 This painting attempts to depict a farming community as happy and prosperous. It is a brightly colored scene of smiling people and a plentiful picnic. This style of art aimed to convince the viewer of the community and prosperity that communism builds Return to Exhibit

Wedding in Tomorrow Street Yuri Pimenov, Wedding in Tomorrow Street, 1962 Despite the construction and development around them, the characters in Yuri Pimenov’s painting are getting married. This piece is an example of how the urban proletariat can thrive in a drastically changing society. Return to Exhibit

Stalin and Voroshilov in the Kremlin Aleksandr Gerasimor, Stalin and Voroshilov in the Kremlin, 1938 A frequently replicated painting, Aleksandr Gerasimor’s Stalin and Voroshilov in the Kremlin displays the power of the communist party. It shows two of the most important communists in the Soviet Union powerfully striding alongside the towering Kremlin. Return to Exhibit

Lenin Monument, Kaluga Lenin Monument, Kaluga, 1985. While this is one of many monuments to Lenin, this one that was erected at Kaluga shows how socialist realistic sculpture glorified the communist party. Lenin is pointing the viewer below the statue towards a better, brighter future of communism. Return to Exhibit

Alexander Nevsky Sergei Eisenstein, Alexander Nevsky, 1938. This is a movie that was released as a socialist realistic piece. It emphasizes how Russian leadership and the Russian military can overcome even the most powerful enemy. Movies like this advanced nationalist spirit in the Soviet Union. Return to Exhibit

Roses for Stalin Boris Vladimirski, Roses for Stalin, 1949. This painting by Boris Vladimirski depicts Joseph Stalin as a god-like leader for the Soviet Union. It attempts to represent Stalin as a leader who personifies innocence and prosperity in communism. This is an obvious glorification of the state, and is a prime example of how socialist realism was used by the Soviet government. Return to Exhibit