Propaganda posters of Mayakovsky. The ABC of Soviet advertising: propaganda posters of Vladimir Mayakovsky
In the modern world, many advertising authors use old Soviet forms and images in their design, sometimes with changes, and more often with almost no alteration of the original. Mayakovsky’s advertising style is especially popular. In our research, we will analyze Vladimir Mayakovsky’s “Economic Propaganda”, the images in his advertising and political posters “Windows of GROWTH”, and also look at the influence of the poet’s advertising creativity on advertising today.
Analysis of “Economic agitations” as a new genre of commercial and industrial advertising
At the beginning of July 1923, on the cover of the magazine "Krasnaya Niva" a drawing and a verse by Mayakovsky appeared, advertising the products of Mospoligraph, and soon the newspaper "Izvestia" published an advertisement for the State Department Store created by Mayakovsky: "Everything that the heart, body and mind requires “Everything is provided to a person by GUM.” It was from that moment that his active advertising activities began, aimed at commercial and industrial enterprises. He attaches great importance to this work. Mayakovsky's increased interest in such advertising was due, first of all, to the fact that the country in the first years of the New Economic Policy faced great economic, party and political tasks. Mayakovsky set himself the goals of improving and perfecting trade, and a new page appeared in his propaganda and artistic activity - commercial and industrial advertising. So, Mayakovsky developed such an advertising genre as “economic agitation”. Mayakovsky V.V. Complete works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p.173
In Mayakovsky’s article entitled “Propaganda and Advertising” Mayakovsky V.V. Complete works in twelve volumes. Volume 12. Articles, notes and speeches. November 1917-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 184. The poet attaches great importance to “economic agitation.”
In this article, Mayakovsky calls on the working class, deprived of tools and means of labor, to take an example from the bourgeoisie, that is, from the ruling class, who actively use advertising in their activities as an effective means of propaganda that generates competition. “We must not leave these weapons, this agitation for trade in the hands of the NEP, in the hands of the foreign bourgeoisie. Everything in the USSR? must work for the proletarian good. Think about advertising!” says Mayakovsky and plunges headlong into this matter, creating stunning examples of advertising. Mayakovsky's work on commercial and industrial advertising continued until 1930, but it was carried out especially intensively in the first two and a half years (1923-1924). In his opinion, advertising should be varied, interesting and entertaining, it should be done wisely, with creativity and humor. In Mayakovsky’s article, “Agitation and Advertising,” reviewed by the author, the poet argues that in our country there are practically no institutions that would produce leaflets and advertisements, and that in general in Soviet Russia they have not officially taken up advertising. As an example, he cites the following advertising messages of that time: “...Moscow Public Utilities notifies...”, “The Commissioner brings to the attention.” The poet comments: “...What bureaucracy - it distorts, brings to attention, announces! Who will respond to these calls?! We must call, we must advertise, so that the crippled are immediately healed and run to buy, trade, look!” Mayakovsky V.V. Complete works in twelve volumes. Volume 12. Articles, notes and speeches. November 1917-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p.82. This is what Mayakovsky thinks about advertising. It must attract the attention of the public and influence the feelings and mind of a person.
Mayakovsky developed advertising for such enterprises as Mospoligraf, GUM, Mosselprom, Tea Management, Rezinotrest and so on. The poet himself perceived his advertising activities as a continuation of his creativity. In the article by E.O. Safronova "V. Mayakovsky as the father of Russian copywriting” mentioned that some advertising texts were combined into entire “plots” to promote the brand.
Let's take, for example, a series dedicated to Rubber Trest galoshes. These humorous advertising texts in the form of poems can be divided into several types according to the audience.
1. Some texts are characterized by childishness, simplicity and emotional focus:
Rain, rain, pour down in vain,
I won't go out without galoshes.
With the help of Rubbertrust
Everywhere is a dry place for me. Mayakovsky V.V. collected works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p.277
Buy it up
eastern people -
best galoshes
brought by camel. Ibid (Appendix 5)
It's more elegant without galoshes" --
it's a lie.
All elegance
from our galoshes. Ibid.
Still others are aimed at promoting Rezinotrest as a global brand. The main product is galoshes - they are positioned as the salvation of Europe and one of the wonders of the world. Such advertising verses are inherently metaphorical. For example, one of the advertising posters depicts the planet Earth, and above it is a Rubber Trust galosh, which protects the USSR and Europe from rain:
Rezinotrest --
protector in rain and slush.
Without galoshes
sit and cry. Mayakovsky V.V. collected works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 278 (Appendix 6)
Another poster shows many pairs of galoshes held by two oriental men. The inscription reads:
Galoshes of Rubbertrust --
just a delight.
and east. Ibid.
Another interesting page in Mayakovsky’s advertising activities is his work on advertising Mosselprom. What is it? Mosselprom is the Moscow Association of Enterprises. Work on the Mosselprom advertisement lasted about two years, and it is this that plays a major role in its scale and creativity not only in the life of Mayakovsky, but also of the group of artists who also worked on this project. Mayakovsky led this team both ideologically and organizationally.
It should be noted that Mosselprom’s advertising was very diverse in its topics. Buyers were offered to purchase a variety of products from state enterprises, such as table oil and cheap bread, pasta and noodles, ham and sausage, fruit waters and dry kvass, spices and chocolate, various types of candy, and especially cheap caramel, which was distributed in the village. Beer from Moscow factories, pipe tobacco and numerous types of cigarettes were advertised. The advertising itself and the sources in which it was published were diverse. Mosselprom advertising could be seen in newspapers, on posters, shop windows and banners, on signs of kiosks and stores, on cookie and candy wrappers, on all kinds of packaging, labels, and inserts. All these products were under the “general” advertising slogan that Mayakovsky came up with: “Nowhere except in Mosselprom,” which gained great popularity in the country. In Moscow, in the very center, next to Arbat, there is a unique building - the Mosselprom House, which is a monument to Soviet constructivism and avant-garde. Now on the building you can see the inscriptions “Mosselprom”, “MSNKh”, “Cigarettes”, “Yeast”, “Beer and Water” restored in 1997, and Mayakovsky’s famous slogan is repeated several times. (Appendix 7). The author himself highly appreciated his advertising work both in Mosselprom and over all “economic agitations.”
In his autobiography “I Myself,” Mayakovsky writes: “...Despite the poetic hooting, I consider “Nowhere but in Mosselprom” poetry of the highest qualification.” Mayakovsky V.V. Complete works in twelve volumes. Volume one. Autobiography “I Myself.” 1912-1917.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 67 Unique constructivist images and fonts became the main means of expressing his advertising idea.
It is worth noting that in Mayakovsky’s advertising posters the image of the Soviet man was always represented by simple, working people in everyday clothes. The first collected works of Vladimir Mayakovsky, published in 1934-1937, combined illustrations by Alexander Rodchenko and the poet’s text. We can say that this collection is a book masterpiece, which uses the achievements of advertising, illustration and poetry. For example, let’s take an advertising poster for the Young Guard magazine. It depicts the figure of a red worker holding these magazines in his raised hands. Such figures can be observed in the political posters “Windows of GROWTH”, where Mayakovsky used such characters to designate positive heroes. (For more details, see 3.2.) It can be said that when he took on advertising work, “Windows of GROWTH” served him as an example of creating commercial advertising. Or, take, for example, the Gosizdat poster, which depicts model Lilya Brik in a red work scarf, who conveys her energy and optimism to everyone who looks at this poster. Thus, Vladimir Mayakovsky showed that advertising was close to reality and that this poster could depict any Soviet citizen of the twenties: optimistic, handsome, “building socialism.”
Texts for wrappers, advertising posters, boxes, signs, etc. Mayakovsky were of a topical and propaganda nature, and it can be noted that for the first time in his work he began to use indirect (hidden) advertising. Consider the advertising text for a product such as caramel.
1. Caramel "Red Moscow".
The texts for the candy wrappers were written by Mayakovsky in the second half of November 1923. Each candy wrapper in this series depicts the most remarkable buildings, structures, and monuments for Soviet Moscow.
The series consisted of 12 drawings with texts. For example:
Tretyakov Gallery
The merchants were fleecing year after year,
Then the pictures were hung in the hall.
The cry of the communists:
Art for the people! -
They took their wealth back. Mayakovsky V.V. collected works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p.203
2. Caramel “Red Army Star”.
About Mayakovsky’s work on a series of these candies it was written in the press: “Vladimir Mayakovsky is busy composing drawings of wrapping “papers” for cheap varieties of caramel bought by the village. In addition to the drawing, the propaganda wrappers will contain a couplet” (“Last News”, April 14, 1924) Mayakovsky V.V. collected works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p.204. For example:
If there is danger at the front,
our defense is the Red Army soldiers. (Appendix 8)
Open your eyes wider to the West,
a thunderstorm may come from the west. (Appendix 9)
Let us note that in these poems and drawings Mayakovsky glorifies the exploits of the Red Army during the civil war, calling for strengthening the defense capability of the Land of the Soviets in order to be ready to defend against new enemies.
3. Caramel “Our Industry”.
The caramel wrappers of this series depict heavy industry products that were produced in the USSR. These drawings illustrated the text (as usual in poetry), which was distinguished by its pathos.
The sight of such advertising educated people in the spirit of Soviet patriotism and made them proud of their country for its labor successes. Just like the “Red Moscow” caramel, the “Our Industry” caramel advertising series consisted of 12 drawings with texts. Eg:
Don't stand by the river
until the gray age -
better build a bridge
across this river. (Appendix 10)
The gentleman took his whiskey:
disgrace -
caught in a vice
bourgeoisie. (Appendix 11)
4. Caramel “New weight” and “New measures”
The texts for candy boxes and candy wrappers were written by Mayakovsky between December 1923 and April 1924 and illustrated by him. The texts and drawings of this series “New Weight” promoted new metric measures of weight and volume and explained their relationship. The New Measures series candy wrappers were numbered and divided into two series, series A and series B. The first promoted a new metric measure of length, the second - area. A few examples of New Weight caramel:
Kilogram
Not to understand that would be a shame:
thousand grams - kilogram.
Look, a kilogram is drawn there,
two and a half is equal to pounds. (Appendix 12)
There's no need to be cunning either,
to measure liquid in liters.
For simplicity, you need to remember:
There are a dozen liters in one bucket. (Appendix 13)
Caramel "New measures". Series "A":
Centimeters too.
Easy to measure using your palms.
So that I could measure 10 centimeters,
put your palm across, not lengthwise.
Remember also (no difficulty):
10 centimeters is one decimeter.
Series "B":
Remember right away, don’t stand there gaping:
a kilometer is approximately equal to a mile.
Those who seek precision
in a kilometer - a thousand meters.
Along this kilometer
carry the goods whistling in the wind. Mayakovsky V.V. collected works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 205
Reading the texts by Vladimir Mayakovsky for the candy wrappers of the “New Weight” and “New Measures” series, you involuntarily recall the state program of Soviet Russia - “Elimination of Illiteracy”, which began with the decree of the Council of People’s Commissars “On the elimination of illiteracy in the RSFSR” of December 26, 1919. According to it, the entire population of Soviet Russia aged 8 to 50 years, who could not read or write, was obliged to learn to read and write in their native language or in Russian (optional). Library of Siberian Local History. (Electronic resource). Access mode: http://bsk.nios.ru/enciklodediya/likvidaciya-negramotnosti-likbez (Last access date: 02/10/15)
From this it should be said that Mayakovsky fought against illiteracy through his advertising texts. Caramel of the “New Weight” and “New Measures” series has become a unique source of information about new metric measures of weight, volume, length, area, adopted to replace the old measures. Mayakovsky's advertising provides information about the world around us and the processes taking place in it to a wide audience in an understandable language and is unobtrusive. The poet understood the power of trade and industrial agitation and its importance for her country. When creating his advertising texts, he not only advertised the product, but informed citizens and residents of the country about the power and strength of the state; his advertising was in the spirit of that time.
The implementation of revolutionary advertising ideas in the 20s was demonstrated by the community of “advertising designers” - the greatest masters of constructivism - the artist A. Rodchenko and the poet V. Mayakovsky. The first independent work of the “advertising designer Rodchenko” was a poster: “He is not a citizen of the USSR who is not a shareholder of Dobrolyota,” made in two versions with blue and red backgrounds. Thanks to him, the advertising partnership of the artist and the poet was born. Mayakovsky invited Rodchenko to write poetic texts for posters made by the artist. During the short period of collaboration from 1923 to 1925, several outstanding advertising posters were produced.
Among them, a leaf calling for sucking the nipples of Rezinotrest and the emblem of Mosselprom stand out. The advertisement of the magazine “Young Guard” achieved the greatest expressiveness. The issues of this literary and journalistic magazine did not shine with special richness and colorful design. The authors depicted a salesman in overalls and a cap with Young Guard numbers in his hands, loudly praising his product. This red figure, as if cut out of cardboard and reminiscent of the heroes of propaganda performances of the first years of the revolution, was subsequently repeated in hundreds of advertising samples of the 20th century.
Poster “Workers, don’t be afraid of high prices and NEP - buy cheap bread!” , addressed to a mass consumer audience, on the contrary - the method of depicting advertised items is close to the pre-revolutionary sign. However, it looks unusually modern, thanks to the thoughtful compositional interaction of graphic elements - rulers, text blocks and three-dimensional drawings.
Constructivists developed special techniques for enhancing the visual impact: unexpected angles, dynamics expressed through shifted axes, inclined verticals and horizontals, the use of simple bright colors without halftones, flat fills with one paint, contrasts of red and black, black and white. This formal language attracted attention and convinced the audience.
One of the most prominent figures of constructivism was Alexander Rodchenko. Since 1913, he participated in exhibitions of “leftist” art, but became widely known only after the revolution. Recalling those times, Rodchenko wrote in 1935:
“I was starving. But I despised the bourgeoisie... We were rebels against accepted canons, tastes and values. We did not work for the taste of the bourgeoisie. We outraged their tastes. They didn’t understand us and didn’t buy us... We were inventors and remade the world in our own way... And the year 1917 came. We had nothing to lose, and we could gain the entire Union. And we bought it. We came to the Bolsheviks... We made posters, wrote slogans. We installed the slogan font that still exists... I want to ask if I have the right to search... how to express our theme in high-quality means? Have ups and downs? Or be a middle peasant, imitating examples of classic painting.”
Lavrentiev A.N. Rodchenko's angles. M., 1992, pp. 18–19.
“We worked with great enthusiasm. It was a hype and not because of money, but to promote new advertising everywhere. All of Moscow was decorated with our products. Mosselprom signs - all kiosks are ours. Signs of Gosizdat, Rezinotrest. GUM. Tea management. Up to fifty posters, up to a hundred signs, packaging, wrappers, illuminated advertisements, advertising poles, illustrations for magazines and newspapers were made. Volodya took his work on Soviet advertising very seriously. In the morning he went and took orders, took digital and thematic material. Often it was a large number of boring reports, books that he read and wrote down numbers, topics, etc.
A century ago, in Western Europe and the USA, advertising was developing at a rapid pace, but in the USSR it was just emerging. One of the first and most famous “copywriters” of the 1920s was Vladimir Mayakovsky- the author of not only wonderful poems and plays, but also brilliant advertising posters. His works became classics of Soviet advertising art and a significant milestone in the history of posters of the 20th century.
In the USSR, there was no urgent economic need for advertising - the monopoly of state enterprises on the production of goods did not imply competition. Soviet advertising was significantly different from Western advertising - its main task was agitation and propaganda. It was necessary to convince everyone that Soviet products were the best. And that’s why there aren’t others - why do you need anything else when there is the best?
V. Mayakovsky was the author of political, commercial and social advertising. In 1919-1921, during the Civil War and military intervention, he worked in the "Windows of Satire ROSTA" - the poster department of the Russian Telegraph Agency. The main objective of the satirical posters was to ridicule and destroy the enemies of the young republic and to support “Soviet power plus the electrification of the entire country.” The first posters were created by hand, then using stencils.
Since 1923, in collaboration with the avant-garde artist A. Rodchenko, Mayakovsky began working on trade advertising. The creative alliance “Advertising-Constructor Mayakovsky-Rodchenko” creates advertising for GUM, Rezinotrest, Mosselprom, Gosizdat, Tea Management. The texts of the advertising posters were as laconic and catchy as possible, easy to remember and extremely simple - and what else is needed for effective advertising?
The slogan “Nowhere except in Mosselprom” has become a classic that has entered into popular circulation. To all complaints, the author replied: “Despite the poetic hooting, I consider “Nowhere but in Mosselprom” poetry of the highest qualification.” And if questions arise about the aesthetic value of such poems, then their marketing effectiveness cannot be doubted.
V. Mayakovsky well understood the economic necessity of advertising; back in 1923 he wrote: “People usually think that only rubbish should be advertised - it’s a good thing and that’s how it will go. This is the most wrong opinion. Advertising is the name of a thing. Just as a good artist creates a name for himself, so he creates a name for himself and a thing. Advertising should endlessly remind you of every thing, even wonderful things.”
No, he was not the first copywriter, as is now customary to talk about him in the advertising environment. But he was the first copywriter with a name and his own unique style. In the 83 years since his death, no one has been able to get closer to him.
In fairness, of course, it must be said that advertising was by no means his main activity. And his name and style actually developed outside of advertising, but the fact that such a talented person was directly related to advertising and was part of its history gives advertisers the right to be proud and sometimes strive for the simplicity and clarity that distinguished the advertising works of Vladimir Mayakovsky.
Dfor cigarettes “Ira”:
Us
are left
from the old world
only -
cigarettes "Ira".
“Advertising is industrial and trade agitation! Not a single business, even the most true one, moves forward without advertising. This is a weapon that defeats competition. Under the NEP, it is necessary to use all the weapons used by enemies, including advertising!"
Being a master of Soviet photographic art, Rodchenko was the first to use photography in advertising (for example, the “Lengiz” poster with Lilya Brik). His work can be considered the beginning of “documentary” advertising, the images of which became a reflection of the needs of his contemporaries.
Posters created by the legendarycreative tandem Rodchenko-Mayakovsky:
For GUM:
Everything it takes
stomach,
body or mind -
All
person
provided by GUM. Nothing
cry about the prices -
in GUM, Komsomol members,
to GUM, workers' faculty!
cry about the prices -
in GUM, Komsomol members,
to GUM, workers' faculty!
If you
for a long time
had no pleasure
buy
Here
Mosselprom caramel.
A This already without Rodchenko:
Selected advertising texts by Mayakovsky:
For Mospoligraph:
My eyes are wide open!
Where to begin?
Firstly, in Mospoligraph
all print.
Secondly,
what for
Should I buy ledgers and notebooks from the NEPs?
All stationery, graphed and ungraphed,
sells Mospoligraph.
What to look for engravers, pavement dust,
Order seals and stamps from Mospoligraph.
And of course,
of course it goes without saying
in Mospoligraph
buy wallpaper.
Open your eyes and look at everything,
remember these three addresses.
Remember -
you broke off
wallpaper in the room.
Nothing
stand open.
Buy new ones
in our store.
For “Our Industry” caramel boxes:
From Factory Caramel
We had no losses.
And left and right
praise and glory to her everywhere!
Take this candy
definitely a sign:
more and more famous every hour
on her song wrappers.
This new idea
One who is literate teaches better.
Displaces the regular variety
caramel flavor "Fabrichnaya".
Both the village and the factory
He'll call this one the best!
For packaging Zebra cookies:
The zebra was hot
run only in Africa,
and now he bakes it
Mosselprom at the factory.
Looking at that zebra,
The Menshevik is annoyed:
doesn't he have beauty?
did you remove the striped one?
For Mocha coffee:
Don't go far!
In the blink of an eye
Here
buy
mocha.
For “Posolskie” cigarettes:
Even children, having parted with their pacifier,
smoke
"Posolskaya".
New release. Best quality.
Snatch it up
clean!
For Tea Management:
Cute,
drop your words -
what do I need
these chants?
Mchi
tea as a gift for me
Tea management.
Forget fashion! To hell with the nonsense!
Ask for clothes at Moscow Tailoring.
Simple, light, spacious.
...You won't find clothes simpler -
Great for practicing too
And for a walk with your sweetheart in the grove.
Mayakovsky, in fact, was a full-service advertising agency. He found clients himself, wrote the texts himself, set the price, “pushed” the fulfillment of orders for posters, and even undertook something like independent marketing research. Advertising posters and texts performed by him came as if from an assembly line. Advertising of pasta, cigarettes, beer, galoshes, sausages, books, Evpatoria mud - it seems that he didn’t care what to advertise. Hyperbolism, directiveness, shockingness are inherent in all his advertising works.
This is what I wrote in my memories A. Rodchenko about working with Mayakovsky:
Photo. V.V. Mayakovsky (1893-1930).
The sonorous lines of his poems reflected time itself - menacing and heroic. Open any volume of poems by V.V. Mayakovsky and before you will stand the young Republic of Soviets, blown by the wind of revolution, in its big and small affairs.
Actually, there were no small and insignificant matters for V.V. Mayakovsky. A poet of the revolution, he burst into the thick of events - always active, irreconcilable, and party-biased in his assessments. The country fought and built. I was building tomorrow. But the world of yesterday still clung to life, and to end it, not only heroic deeds were needed, but also inconspicuous, everyday, sometimes not entirely pleasant, work. Subsequently V.V. Mayakovsky will say about it, as always figuratively and laconically, in his poem “At the top of his voice” (1930):
"For you,
which
healthy and agile
poet
licked
consumptive spitting
the rough language of the poster."
V.V. Mayakovsky, writing rhymed captions for health education posters, was proud of his work, because he believed that his poetry brought real benefits to people.
1919 Hungry, ravaged by a long war, the Republic is squeezed by the ring of intervention. Moscow: broken tram wires, deserted streets. And suddenly an unexpected crowd appeared in front of the windows of an empty store. In the showcase “Windows of Satire ROSTA” there are multi-drawing posters that the Russian Telegraph Agency began to produce.
Sharp, intelligible, satirical posters with short, easy-to-remember poetic texts exposed the enemies of the young Soviet Republic, covered topical events, and illustrated telegrams transmitted by the agency to newspapers. The posters, with the exception of the first ones, hand-drawn, were made and multiplied using a stencil up to 150 or more copies, then exhibited in shop windows in Moscow and other cities. In “Windows of Satire ROSTA” the traditions of lubok and rayoshnik were widely used. The drawings “ROSTA Windows” (in series of up to 12 on one sheet) were distinguished by their emphasized simplicity and laconicism of visual means (expressive silhouettes, coloring in 2-3 colors). These unique satirical and political magazines were made by a small team, the soul of which was V.V. Mayakovsky.
The first “Window of GROWTH” was performed in October 1919 by M.M. Cheremnykh. Then he was joined by V.V. Mayakovsky, I.A. Malyutin, D.S. Moor and others. Kazimir Malevich, Aristarkh Lentulov, Ilya Mashkov and Kukryniksy also participated in the creation of “Windows of GROWTH”.
Photo. Artists ROSTA. 1919 Vladimir Mayakovsky, Ivan Malyutin, Mikhail Cheremnykh.
"ROSTA Windows" played a significant role in the development of Soviet fine art.
Similar “Windows” were also produced in Petrograd (L.G. Brodaty, V.V. Lebedev, A.A. Radakov and others), in Ukraine (B.E. Efimov and others), in Baku, Saratov and others cities.
Rice. "Windows of satire ROSTA".
Rice. Artist A.M. Nuremberg “V.V. Mayakovsky at work at ROSTA.”
Mayakovsky the poet and Mayakovsky the artist worked together on “Windows of Satire,” reflecting topical political, economic, sanitary, hygienic and military tasks in poetry and drawings. In the article “I ask for the floor,” written ten years after the creation of the first “Windows,” Mayakovsky recalled how a handful of artists manually “served a hundred and fifty million people”: “The range of themes is enormous. Agitation for the Comintern and collecting mushrooms for the starving, the fight against Wrangel and the typhoid louse...” Many posters created by V.V. Mayakovsky, was dictated by concern for public health and were shining examples of sanitary and educational agitation.
V.V. Mayakovsky considered his work in the “Windows of Satire ROSTA” political; he responded vividly to the first decrees of the Soviet government regarding health issues:
The main anti-epidemic measures are visible on the poster - in the lower third of the picture, a man is generously doused with water from a bucket, two more people are busy washing clothes, and a sanitary doctor is standing in the background.
- “On the supply of bacteriological institutes and laboratories with the materials and equipment necessary for their work” (April 10, 1919);
- “On the fight against typhus on the Eastern and Turkestan fronts” (November 5, 1919);
- “On providing the Red Army and the civilian population with soap” (December 30, 1919);
- “On providing the population of the Republic with baths” (September 30, 1920) and many others.
Rice. "Window of Satire ROSTA".
Rice. "Window of Satire ROSTA".
The poster depicts the consequences of smallpox - blindness and scarring defects of the facial skin, which could have been avoided with the help of smallpox vaccination.
Mayakovsky paints “Window” called “New Enemy”:
“But be vigilant, comrade,
guard against misfortune,
again at the gate she stood:
typhus, hunger and cold are dashing enemies -
here are the new three generals.”
Rice. "Window of Satire ROSTA".
Rice. "Window of Satire ROSTA".
In March-April 1920, Sanitary Cleaning Week was held in Moscow. The poet responded to this event with a poster that called for a fight against dirt and devastation.
The following “propaganda” is for the May Day holiday:
"Stop, citizen,
GROW by listening!
What need to do
First of May?".
Of course, go to the bathhouse “before you get sick with typhoid infection,” and then “celebrate May in such a way that there is not a dirty spot.”
What “Windows” didn’t talk about! Here they warn about the dangers of drinking raw water, here they offer advice on how to protect yourself from cholera, here is their powerful fire of satire V.V. Mayakovsky unleashes the “green serpent” on his fans. Extremely expressive and concise texts are quickly remembered, passed from mouth to mouth.
Rice. "Window of Satire ROSTA".
Propaganda of decrees and resolutions of the Council of People's Commissars, the Council of Labor and Defense becomes the main task of the team of artist-agitators headed by V.V. Mayakovsky. Decrees and other important documents of Soviet power required detailed explanations. They demanded not only an increase in the verbal and figurative base of the poster, but also a change in the environment for their perception.
V.V. Mayakovsky leaves the telegraph agency for Glavpolitprosvet. “Windows of Glavpolitprosvet” were made by the same team as “Windows of Satire ROSTA”. V.V. Mayakovsky determined the theme of the posters, selected factual material, wrote texts based on it and often made drawings for them, gave tasks to artists, and accepted completed posters from them. He also dealt with issues of their replication and distribution both in Moscow and in the periphery.
With the departure from ROSTA, not only the workshop changed. Mayakovsky found himself “snatched” from the unique atmosphere of creative enthusiasm. There Mayakovsky was in the thick of life, aware of all the most important events taking place both in the country and abroad, and was the very first recipient of all this news. Such advantages were provided by the very specifics of the telegraph agency.
At Glavpolitprosvet, Mayakovsky had to, to some extent, re-organize and establish a local network for the reproduction and distribution of Windows. And this, naturally, could not but create its own additional difficulties.
The theme of “Windows”, which emerged in ROSTA shortly after the end of the Civil War, finally changed. At the end of 1920 and beginning of 1921, the main theme became the struggle for the restoration of the national economy, destroyed during the years of the imperialist and civil wars. In dozens of “Windows”, based on specific factual material, the labor successes of advanced teams were shown, calls were made to develop competition, strengthen labor discipline, create shock groups of exemplary work, and show creative initiative.
“Windows of Glavpolitprosvet” part with shop windows and take up residence in propaganda centers, clubs, red corners of plants and factories, Red Army barracks and institutions, and in rural reading huts. These multi-frame posters with 12-16 drawings were, as a rule, designed to last for a long time and in this respect were similar to printed propaganda posters.
At the same time, these “Windows” continued to retain their great propaganda significance. And here the contribution of V.V. is especially significant. Mayakovsky and his comrades to help the starving people of the Volga region. This topic became the main one, starting in July 1921 and until the cessation of work on the release of Windows. Particular attention was paid to helping starving children. “Windows” called on citizens of “fruitful” provinces to take in the starving and sick children of the Volga region to raise them. The “Windows of Glavpolitprosvet” were also used for information about the measures taken by the Soviet government and the progressive forces of the world to provide assistance to the hungry.
Poster master, V.V. Mayakovsky, of course, could not ignore the problems in the life of society; the genre of his art by its nature was intended to reveal the negative phenomena of social life, give them a fair assessment, and criticize them.
At the same time, social and cultural achievements could not help but be reflected in “Windows”.
In December 1921 - January 1922 V.V. Mayakovsky, busy with other creative plans (including work on printed propaganda posters for Glavpolitprosvet), pays less and less attention to Windows. Their number is sharply reduced. Their replication becomes more difficult; multi-frame propaganda posters with extensive text complicated the work of stencil makers and type designers.
From the beginning of 1922, the windows of the Glavpolitprosvet Windows ceased to be a political platform.
“Mobilized and called upon by the revolution,” the poet worked for the future, walking “every minute in step” with the whole country. V.V. Mayakovsky was, is and remains a contemporary of many, many generations.