Author Archives: gisherzfe

Soviet Realism appears to be the derived product of the “proletarian art” previously described by Boris Arvatov. (Arvatov, 238)  Focusing on industry, production, and the lives of everyday workers, Soviet Realism sought to root itself entirely in the life of … Continue reading →

Just stumbled across this article in the New York Times — apparently Evgenii Evtushenko (author of Stalin’s Heirs and Mourners Crushed at Stalin’s Funeral) just passed away this Saturday at age 83. The article discusses his life, his political activism, and … Continue reading →

Unlike the artistic shift that took place during Peter’s Cultural Revolution, in which artists moved away from traditional Muscovite art styles to adopt a style that was wholly European, the Symbolist movement was an attempt by Russian artists to look … Continue reading →

During the reign of Nicholas I and the unrest following the Decembrist Revolt, many educated people came together to discuss how to best move forward as a nation. For many, this required first identifying what it truly meant to be … Continue reading →

The growing prominence of women as active members of Russian society paralleled the heightened depiction of women in art and portraiture during the Petrine era. Peter sought to westernize Russia, which made it necessary to shift Russia’s attitudes towards women. … Continue reading →

David Saunders appears to give most of the credit for the Decembrist revolt to the death of Alexander I, and the time of political confusion that arose from it. He references Baron Rosen’s belief that, “if the authorities had publicized … Continue reading →