Page 36 - Studio International - April 1971

describing the painter's 'colour and intensity of
the old icon-painting' combined with 'the
rationalistic rules of classic composition'.24
Kuznetsov has turned from `Gauginesque
exotica' to 'oil refineries and Cowper blowers'.25
The 'masters of Russian Post-Impressionism
and Cézannism' —Konchalovsky, Mashkov,
Rozhdestvensky, Kuprin—were 'formerly
opposed to thematic painting' but are now
`endeavouring to find new themes and
subjects'.26 S. Gerassimov gives 'a subjective
romantic colouring to the phenomena of reality
without transgressing against the laws of its
truthful portrayal'.27 Even Malevich, Tatlin
and Filonov, 'the most extreme formalist
groups of Soviet artists, have been most
strongly influenced by the new realistic
tendencies of Soviet art'.28
G. K. Loukomski's History of Modern
Russian Painting is even more emphatic in
stressing the continuity of the realist tradition.
He sees the 8os and 9os in Russia as 'a first
renaissance epoch of Russian painting. Surikov,
Repin, Levitan and Syerov are all men of the
9os and all are Russian national masters on a
European scale.'" This is linked to outright
nationalism. The 'World of Art' group and the
Futurists and Constructivists are dismissed,
not on the grounds of their bourgeois idealism,
the artistic forces, the artistic attention, the Later, in 1935, A. Bassekhes described the rise but because 'There was nothing truly Russian
artistic talents should be directed is a natural of realism between 1920-35 as a style opposed to be found there'.30
conclusion from our entire system of planning'. 16 to earlier art devoid of themes, to methods Loukomski describes the struggle between
E. Troschenko, writing in the same year, makes inherited from the period of infatuation with the artists and AHRR as over by 1925-6, and
the same point: 'Art free from politics or party, Cubism, 'left' romanticism, 'left' rationalism; a quotes Lunacharsky, 'the first defender of just
poetry independent of class interests, are things predilection for the primitive and for those painters' (i.e. the LEF group), as
which belong among the deceptions long ago impressionistic sketching'.21 For him, declaring that 'the people need a picture, a
exposed by the living history of the class contemporary art is concerned with 'the picture which can be understood as a social
struggle.'17 This is the 'socialist' part of creative assimilation of the enthusiasm of action'.31 The names of Brodsky, Kustodiev,
Socialist Realism. Since, by 1930, the party socialist construction'.22 'Soviet artists now Rylov, Lancere and Petrov-Vodkin are cited as
could term itself the single agent in the creation recognize the priceless value of the art legacy artists who 'approached the question successfully
of socialism, it was logical that a `socialist' art possessed by mankind... the assimilation of the at once and were accepted... only their subjects
should also be a party art. past, while not turning aside from reality. The were new, but their old artistic methods were in
Troschenko also discusses the need for great masters of the past are akin to the Soviet tune with the demands of the millions, and not
realism. He rather dubiously asserts that Marx artists in that they, too, had not been advocates merely of the very few'.32 Loukomski quotes a
`always singled out, was interested in and held of the abstract, self-sufficient form ... The theorist of Socialist Realism, Schekotov, on the
in high regard artists with realistic tendencies" 8 peculiarity of form in their art, its classic struggle between LEF and AHRR. 'LEF
and recommends 'that attitude of art to the completeness, was the direct result of great wanted to build life and not reflect it. This
world, when art endeavours to objectively thought and of great feeling ... Their art at the contradicted the laws of art, which is a mirror
cognize reality, when the art issues not from an time was purposeful, topical in the best sense of life, and it was this which provided the gulf
abstract ideal but from life and its own laws ... of the word.'22 which separated the LEF from the AHRR, since
These general principles of realistic art make it Bassekhes goes on to describe the in opposition to the LEF the AHRR declared
the most important artistic heritage of the development of Socialist Realism as a "We will show the present day—the daily life of
bourgeois era.'19 However, these principles are continuation of nineteenth-century realism, the Red Army, the workers, the peasants, we
not to be employed blindly : 'Socialist Realism and he outlines the growth of enthusiasm among will give portraits of leading revolutionaries and
must be a critical study of bourgeois realism ... artists for the ideas which led to Socialist of types of heroes of labour. We will give a true
Our art depicts reality not simply as it is, but as Realism. He cites Brodsky, Yakovlev and the picture of events".'33 Already then in painting at
it is being made by man; in its depiction of the Korin brothers as painters in an academic, least one powerful group of painters was
objective world it includes a link absent in the pre-revolutionary tradition, influenced by the anticipating much of the theory and practice of
older realism—the subject, revolutionary nineteenth-century realist Repin, as artists who Socialist Realism: its 'organic' development
activity... our realism is the most objective voluntarily turned to revolutionary themes. He from nineteenth-century realism, its celebration
because the point of view of the proletarian party mentions Bogayevsky, Ostroumova-Lebedeva of proletarian struggle, and its attempt to use an
is the fullest, the most consistent scientific and, particularly, Pavilov and Dormidontov, as art reflecting reality to penetrate to reality's
expression of the objective laws of development artists who emerged from the influence of the underlying laws. Loukomski stresses this last
of modern society into Communism.'20 Socialist pre-revolutionary 'World of Art' group to aspect by reminding his readers that 'the
Realism, then, is a party art, using a realist style create 'romantic portrayal of the industrial demand of the present moment is not of an
based on the style of nineteenth-century realism, fervour of Soviet construction'.23 He links externally observed order but consists of giving
but imbued with themes of revolutionary struggle. Petrov-Vodkin with past national traditions, an artistic representation which has been