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CAT | Art

“The Motives of Russian Architecture” was a magazine published in St. Petersburg from 1873 to 1880. It published projects of residential buildings, public buildings, furniture and decor created by followers of the Russian style. The goal of this movement was to revive the techniques and motifs of old Russian architecture.

After a series of European revolutions in 1848-1849, known as the Spring of Nations, the middle class was quickly becoming rich. They strived to have luxurious and rich interiors. Workshops and factories producing furniture and interior items tried to please wealthy customers. This is how a very magnificent movement in art and architecture arose, reviving the traditions and features of earlier eras of Russian style. Source: humus.

The motives of Russian architecture in 1873-1880, picture 1

real Russian fairy tale

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Nov/23

30

Soviet Anti-Religious Alphabet (1933)

The following book “Anti-Religious Alphabet” was published in Leningrad in 1933. The author of the pictures was Mikhail Mikhailovich Cheremnykh (1890-1962) – a Soviet graphic artist, cartoonist, book illustrator.

Each word in the poetic phrases accompanying the pictures begins with the corresponding letter of the Russian alphabet. Translation gives just a general meaning of these short phrases, but of course, if you know Russian, then this historical document is especially interesting. However, the illustrations themselves give some insight into the attitude to religion during the first decades of the Soviet regime. Source

1. Anti-Religious Alphabet.

Soviet Anti-Religious Alphabet (1933), picture 1

godless ABC

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The private fairy-tale park-courtyard “Vikhlyandiya” in the town of Kozelsk, Kaluga Oblast, is a unique architectural work of art, born of a creative tandem of the local entrepreneur-philanthropist Vladimir Vikhlyandtsev (whose last name gave the name to the complex) and the architect-artist Vladimir Kolesnikov.

There are no analogues of such a fabulous complex anywhere else in Russia. This fairy-tale kingdom has already become one of the sights of Kozelsk. Vikhlyandiya is especially popular among families with children. Vikhlyandiya on Google Maps. Photos by: Vladimir Lipetskikh.

Fairy-tale park-courtyard "Vikhlyandiya" in Kozelsk, Kaluga Oblast, Russia, photo 1

(more…)

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Oct/23

12

Educating Readers in the USSR in 1926-1929

Propaganda in the USSR was diverse and covered almost all spheres of life. For example, the following posters educated Soviet people how to properly handle books. Pictures by humus.

1926. Protect the book from rain and snow.

Soviet propaganda - educating readers in 1926-1929, poster 1

read books properly

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Aug/23

25

St. Petersburg in the 1850s

Joseph Daziaro (1806-1865) came to the Russian Empire from Italy in the early 1820s. He opened a publishing business and specialized in the sale of lithograph prints. His firm can be called the first private publishing house of printed artistic graphics in Russia.

By the beginning of the 1830s, he had 2 shops in Moscow. In 1849, he became the owner of a shop in St. Petersburg. Let’s look at his lithographs united under the title “Memories of St. Petersburg” (“Souvenir de St. Petersbourge”). They were mostly made from drawings by the Charlemagne brothers: Josif Charlemagne (1824-1870) and Adolf Charlemagne (1826-1901). Source: aldusku.

Dvortsovy (Palace) Bridge.

St. Petersburg in the 1850s in Daziaro lithographs, Russia, picture 1

back to the past

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Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (1839-1915) was one of the most popular and influential Russian artists at the end of the 19th century. A lot of his paintings show an idealized view of life in Russia in the past centuries.

The portrait genre occupied a special place in the artist’s work. Largely thanks to it, he achieved success. His paintings are known for beautifully painted furniture, clothes, expensive fabrics and furs. The artist tried to show the person being portrayed in the most favorable light, while maintaining an exact likeness.

Russian beauty, Konstantin Makovsky painting 1

beautiful portraits

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May/22

18

Propaganda Posters of the Soviet Aviation

Soviet propaganda is the propaganda of communist ideas and the Soviet way of life. It was carried out purposefully and centrally under the leadership of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and was officially called ideological work, enlightenment of the masses, and the like. Propaganda was conducted through the media, books, movies, theatrical plays, works of fine art, etc.

By the mid-1930s, the role of the propaganda machine in strengthening the Stalinist regime was clearly manifested. Propaganda created a personality cult of Stalin. The pilots were at the top of the hierarchy of Soviet heroes. They were simultaneously the “sons” of the “father” – Stalin and the “motherland”. Source

Soviet aviation propaganda posters, picture 1

1923. Build the air fleet of the USSR. Everyone – a shareholder of Dobrolet*!
Sale of shares in the office of “Dobrolet”. Petrograd, October 25th Avenue, 38. The prices of shares: 1 ruble 05 kopecks and 52 rubles 50 kopecks (golden share).
* The Russian joint-stock company of the voluntary air fleet “Dobrolet” was an air transport organization that existed in the Soviet Union in 1923-1932.

pilots as Soviet superheroes

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Nov/20

15

Advertising posters in the Russian Empire

From the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, advertising posters began to quickly gain popularity in the Russian Empire. Artists often depicted scenes from fairy tales. The first advertising posters used the element of hyperbole, exaggerating the properties of the advertised product.

Despite the fact that there was significant economic growth in the Russian Empire at that time, it did not cause an increase in the purchasing power of the majority of the population (peasants). Most of the advertising targeted the rapidly emerging Russian bourgeoisie. Source.

Perfumes of Russian boyars.

Advertising posters in the Russian Empire, poster 1

pre-revolutionary advertising posters

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Sep/20

13

The Panorama of Moscow in 1847

Jacques Reyne Isidore Acarie-Baron (1798-1874) was a French painter and scientific illustrator and here is one of his works – The Panorama of Moscow from the Ivan the Great Bell Tower dedicated to the Emperor of Russia and created in 1847.

This bell tower with a total height of 81 m is the tallest building of the Moscow Kremlin.

The Panorama of Moscow, Russia in 1847, picture 1

unique views of Moscow

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Feb/19

16

Kiev Railway Station in Moscow

Kiev (Kiyevsky) Railway Station is one of the nine railway stations of Moscow. Built in 1914-1918, it is a monument of architecture and engineering art, an object of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia of federal importance.

The motifs of the Patriotic War of 1812 (the French invasion of Russia) were used in the architectural concept of the station, in the paintings of the halls, sculptures. The station was built in the Neoclassical style with elements of the Empire style. Kiev Railway Station on Google Maps. Photos by: Stanislav Konstantinov.

Kiev Railway Station in Moscow, Russia, photo 1

probably the most beautiful station in Moscow

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