Zinovyeva, N. A. Revolutionary 1917 in poster images. Logos et Praxis, 2017, Vol. 16, ¹ 3, pp. 80-108.

Abstract

In 1917 the political poster became an important source of shaping of mass consciousness. The article examines social conditions and reasons for poster advertising, analyzes the artistic and content features of the early revolutionary posters. Among the conditions in which the political agitation of that time took place, the author singles out censorship, high cost, the dominance of text forms (books, newspapers, leaflets, banners), limited agitation by urban territory. The confusion and high rate of change of events after the February Revolution created the need for new dynamic ways of influencing the masses. A special role was played by political posters. The author distinguishes the genre features of the classical Russian political poster and compares them with the characteristic features of the 1917 posters. Among the artistic features the author notes the absence of his own poster style.The poster is created from a cliche created by books, newspapers and advertisements, which are redone for new political tasks. Communicatively-substantial features consist in the fact that posters more often narrate or demonstrate a new world order, and do not call for active actions. Clarity and consistency of imprisoned ideas is often achieved not through the image, but from the text printed on the posters. Text, as a rule, is primary in relation to the image, and sometimes it is not convenient for reading and perception. However, at the end of 1917 the posters manage to develop their own symbolism (images of the rising sun, torn chains, red flags, etc.), recognizable images (oppressed or heroic workers, soldiers, peasants, thick priests, generals clinking with orders, kulaks sitting on bags) and own ways of delivering ideas.