Introduction

Variations on the depiction of Vladimir Lenin provide visual insight into the creation and later deconstruction of a political idol. With the emergence of the Soviet Union, Russian culture dramatically transformed in the twentieth century. The depth of political change from monarchy to communism manifested itself in the formation of proletariat iconography. In order to cultivate public support for the centralization of socialist authority, the government utilized the poster as the visual means to convey its ideas as mass dissemination could be achieved quickly and at a low cost. With art at the service of politics, who better to portray than a politician? Thus, the development of Vladimir Lenin as an icon through the mass communication of posters effectively established authoritarianism in the Soviet Union as the necessary path to an ideal society.

Lenin rapidly became the paternal figure of the fatherland with the public becoming familiar with his likeness. During the 1920's and early 1930's, Lenin was depicted as a monumental hero of the proletariat leading the way to socialist utopia. Although Lenin died in 1924, his image continued to thrive as a communist icon. During the implementation of socialist realism from the 1930's to 1950's, Joseph Stalin gradually assumed the central figure in illustrations while Lenin's image simultaneously morphed into a supporting role. The tradition of employing Leninist iconography to signify legitimate Soviet rule continued after 1950’s Stalinism until the end of Soviet rule in the 1990’s. Despite the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Leninist imagery continued to have significant cultural impact as post-communist works employed the graphic language of Soviet propaganda as a means of social critique. By examining the changing iconography of Lenin in the art of the poster during the twentieth century, Russia’s political identity in relation to social reality is revealed.

Part I: AN INTERNATIONALIST PERSPECTIVE 

THE EARTH AND LENIN

By 1920 the Russian Civil War had officially ended with the Bolshevik party as victor. Through the Marxist idea of the ‘dictatorship of the proletariat,’ the communist government justified the need for Lenin as head of state during the transition from capitalism to socialism. Propaganda was employed as a means to convince the masses of the need for socialist democracy in which posters were pasted up in well trafficked public areas such as shop windows and public halls.[1] In these posters the image of Lenin was increasingly used as a representative of the state. By creating an iconography surrounding Lenin, the Bolsheviks were able to associate their leader with an idealized society that extended beyond Russian territory, which was of great value in giving legitimacy to the goal of world domination. This interest in maintaining an international influence is evidenced in posters by the repeated use of images of the earth in association with Lenin. Through the changing depiction of Lenin’s global influence in early Soviet posters, the international perspective of Bolshevism is visually developed using satire and the theme of celebration.

During the political formation of the Soviet Union, the satirical posters depicting Lenin reveal the development of Bolshevik internationalism. One of the earliest satires of the new leader, titled Lenin under Trotsky, portrays the relationship between Lenin and Trotsky in a comical and pejorative manner. With a bulbous nose and protruding ear, Trotsky appears as an unattractive politician whose disproportionate hands direct the viewer to that which he desires to dominate - Lenin and the world. Lenin is trivialized by his small scale as he stands below Trotsky’s resting left hand in a condescending gesture. Meanwhile, Trotsky’s right hand points to a large globe in which the geography of Russia is immense in comparison to the rest of the continents thus emphasizing Bolshevik’s desire for global revolution.[2] The concept of worldly matters is also alluded to in the travel luggage placed behind the two figures. The owner of the suitcases, along with the significance of worldly experience, remains unknown; such ambiguity may be a subtle commentary concerning the controversy over who was truly in control of the Soviet state.[3] Some of the political elite were concerned about Trotsky’s influence over Lenin (which would later culminate into an opposition to Trotsky called the Troika). Thus, the caricatures of Lenin and Trotsky contain an underlying provocation to question the issues of authority. Although such a critical portrayal of Lenin is quickly eradicated in subsequent Bolshevik posters, the underlying desire for political world domination continues to be evoked.

For instance, in Comrade Lenin cleans the land from garbage, the satirical depiction of Lenin as a diminutive figure changes drastically as he dominates the visual space and gains positive connotations as well as international significance as a leader. By making use of the tropes of political cartoons, Nikolaevich turns satirical wit into a social purpose.[4] In contrast to the diminutive figure that stands besides his political competitor and globe in Lenin under Trotsky, Lenin is monumental in scale as he stands on top of the earth. The power of the dictator of the new Soviet Union is clearly indicated as the caricature of Lenin sweeps away the personifications of traditional powers. The use of the broom implies a more domestic role with Lenin as the caretaker of his nation while the action of sweeping away debris transforms violent radicalism into a smooth process of cleanliness. Among the figures being booted out are the Orthodox priest on the left, the rotund man of capitalism beside him, and the two kings above. The cartoon-like nature of the figures encourages a more lighthearted reaction from the viewer thus evading a degree of social upset from such political change. Not only is the old order of Russia being displaced by the newly formed Soviet Union (as embodied by Lenin), but it is being disposed of entirely as the figures fall into the void of white space. The international impact of communism is implied by the visual dislocation of the previous society beyond the earth, which Lenin has just begun cleaning. In the early posters of satire, the transformation of Lenin into a benign character of worldly importance reveals the development of Bolshevik propaganda as an activist form of international government.

Another way in which the Bolshevik poster promotes global revolution is through celebration. Throughout the 1920’s, numerous posters commemorated the October Revolution by visually linking society’s success with the persona of Lenin. During these festivities, the major elements of Lenin iconography became firmly established[5]: superhuman monumentality, modesty as conveyed through dress, and his international power. In The head advisor of the fourth congress over the fifth anniversary of the revolution, Lenin once again is a monumental figure standing on a flattened earth. The artist Anatolij extends the earthly allegory to include the rising sun in which the rays radiate not only from the solar core but from the figure of Lenin as well. Through such a celestial backdrop, the heroic role of Lenin is given an almost divine aura echoing the traditional depiction of orthodox icons.[6] Such epic meaning through visual narrative parallels the government’s developing cult of the dictator. The heroic Lenin simultaneously remains a man of the people through his simplicity in dress; suit, vest, and tie become Lenin’s standard uniform in which the leader appears to have no higher social status than the common proletariat despite his superior role as world leader. This formula of representing the Soviet leader on top of the world is further abstracted as seen in Tenth Year October Revolution. Adrianovič superimposes Lenin’s face onto a collection of scenes celebrating Soviet prosperity and advancement. Along with a partial map of the earth and references to economic progress, the assortment includes vignettes of a proletariat utopia. Despite the multitude of scenes, the face of Lenin remains the focus of the poster through his central position in the composition. The contrasting monochrome of Lenin’s image and the surrounding white space draws the viewer’s eye to the official promoter of world progress who has guided the soviet collective successfully. By combining icons of progress and prosperity with Lenin’s likeness, Bolshevik propaganda persuades the public to view the new communist government as a global superpower.                                                                         

Left: Sokolov Anatolij, The head advisor of the fourth congress over the fifth anniversary of revolution, 1922

Right: Vlasov Sergej Adrianovič, Tenth Year October Revolution, 1927

The visual link between the proletariat and Lenin continues to be asserted in Soviet propaganda as seen in The First of May lives! Under Lenin’s Flad of the Komitern- progress!. Rather than depicting numerous groups and settings to represent the collective, Nikolaevič employs a singular figure. The worker as a symbol of the proletariat was understood by the Soviets to be a class which extended beyond Russia’s borders to include the entire world.[7] The model worker emulates Lenin’s pose as he stands on top of the world implying how the common man must follow Lenin’s example. The once rising sun behind Lenin has transformed into the proud worker honouring his image with a surrounding symbolic glow. Although not the central figure of the composition, the dictator remains present as his profile on the banner hovers above the communist revolution. Although the worker is given a more prominent position in the poster, his association with the iconic Lenin adds to the heroic meaning. While Anatolij and Adrianovič celebrate the anniversary of domestic rebellion, Nikolaevič suggests the beginnings of global uprising. The text’s mention of the Komintern, an international association of communist parties, indicates the Bolshevik’s growing international position. Lenin’s claim that the Komitern would promote a world revolution in socialism has been visualized by Nikolaevič.[8] However, instead of sweeping away previous world order as illustrated in Comrade Lenin cleans the land from garbage, Nikolaevič depicts a more violent image of broken chains encompassing the world in which metal pieces splinter off where the worker stands. As can be seen, while the message of international revolution is consistently evoked, the symbol of Lenin varies depending on the political context of the celebratory poster.                                                                            

From a caricature in satire to a hero in celebration, the political implications of Lenin’s image change drastically during the Bolshevik years. Through the inclusion of the geographic world as a narrative detail, the early posters promote the Soviet form of communism as an international movement. The initial comical characterization of Lenin is quickly replaced with a more stoic archetype which becomes the standard for depicting the celebrated Bolshevik idol. As the message of global importance becomes more visually assertive, the projection of Lenin’s persona becomes increasingly abstracted into a symbol of Soviet authority. Thus, the Bolshevik posters concerning the international movement not only solidify Lenin’s position as the communist leader but also encourage socialist progress on a global scale.

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© Courtney Ahlstrom Christy

Ahlstrom Appraisals | Personal Property Appraisals and Art Consultations | Serving Atlanta & Southeast | Fine Art, Antiques & Vintage  

Whose Lenin Is it Anyway? will continue in the next post

“Part II: Leninism: Stance Towards the Future”

[1] Leah Dickerman ed., Building the Collective: Soviet Graphic Design 1917-1937 (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996), 19.

[2] John Thompson, Vision Unfulfilled: Russia and the Soviet Union in the Twentieth Century (Independence, KY: Cengage Learning, 1995), 243.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Dickerman, Building the Collective: Soviet Graphic Design 1917-1937, 18.

[5] Victoria Bonnell, Iconography of Power: Soviet Political Posters under Lenin and Stalin (London: University of California Press, 1997), 142.

[6] Vera Espinola, “Russian Icons: Spiritual and Material Aspects.” Journal for American Institute for Conservation (vol. 31, 1992), 18.

[7] Dickerman, Building the Collective: Soviet Graphic Design 1917-1937, 18.

[8] Thompson, Vision Unfulfilled: Russia and the Soviet Union in the Twentieth Century, 140.