Industrial Replication and the Social Order System in the Soviet Art of the Early 1930s: Images of Industrialisation in the Urals

Abstract

This article examines the phenomenon of large-edition art production in the Soviet fine art of the early 1930s. The relevance and proliferation of reproduction and other printing formats were driven by the necessity to develop mass propaganda tools for extensive ideological influence on the viewer and mobilisation of society, including during the era of widespread industrialisation. The objective of this paper is to examine the artistic representation of the industrialisation of the Urals in Soviet posters, mass images, popular prints (lubok) and postcards from the early 1930s, with reference to the system of social commissions and the practice of industrial reproduction in art. This article is based on an analysis of documentary sources, materials of art criticism from the 1930s, and current research from the turn of the twenty-first century. The prerequisites and features of picture and poster art production are outlined in detail. An essential element of this study is the characterisation and analysis of images of the industrialisation of the Urals in poster, mass picture, popular print (lubok) and postcard. This includes the interpretation of individual subjects and an examination of the compositional structure of images. The features and specifics of social commission in the utilisation of industrial methods for the production and distribution of fine art are examined with reference to large-edition art works of the early 1930s and objects of original painting and graphics created for reproduction.

Keywords

• советское искусство
• индустриализация урала
• плакат
• лубок
• массовая картина
• открытка
• искусство 1930-х гг.
• соцзаказ
• тиражное искусство
• агитационное искусство