Collection of more than 2000 Soviet propaganda posters, spanning the period from the Russian October Revolution until the collapse of the Soviet Union. Includes reproductions of many classic posters from the 1920s as well as numerous originals from the Brezhnev era and later. More than 500 artists are represented. Some of the posters were produced in Poland and a few in China.
Early posters reflect the Bolsheviks struggle for power in the civil war. Then there is a brief period of artistic experiment before Stalin imposed the Socialist Realism style. Industrialization and collectivization give way to patriotic themes as Russia enters the war against Germany. After the war there is continued emphasis on the armed forces and on Communist youth movements such as the Young Pioneers and Komsomol. There are numerous portraits of Lenin and members of the Politburo. Russia's achievements in space are celebrated and there is propaganda for world peace and unity between the constituent republics of the USSR. There is also concern for social issues such as alcoholism and environmental pollution, often expressed in a witty satirical form.
An index to the work of the various artists and a more detailed description of a sample of typical posters are attached as pdf documents below.