Vintage Poster Archives
Lenin Lived Lives Will Live 1967 | Ivanov Soviet Propaganda
Lenin Lived Lives Will Live 1967 | Ivanov Soviet Propaganda
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Lenin strides forward against the red Soviet flag, his grey suit a stark contrast to the bold crimson background emblazoned with hammer and sickle. The figure dominates the composition through Viktor Ivanov's confident brushwork, emphasising motion and unwavering resolve.
Designed by Viktor Semenovich Ivanov for the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution in 1967. The Cyrillic text quotes Vladimir Mayakovsky's poem: "????? - ???, ????? - ???, ????? - ????? ????!" (Lenin lived, Lenin lives, Lenin will live!). This commemorative work exemplified the Soviet approach to leader veneration during the Cold War's height.
Ivanov (1909-1968) ranks among the USSR's most celebrated poster artists, awarded gold medals by the Academy of Arts for his Lenin poster series. His technique combined socialist realist principles with modernist composition, creating images that functioned as both political messaging and visual art.
This archival print documents a pivotal moment in Soviet visual culture, when the October Revolution's golden anniversary prompted renewed celebration of Lenin's ideological legacy through graphic design.
