The Severe Style
Changes in the USSR art of the late 1950s - early 1960s are coherent with the beginning of a new historical stage in society life. These changes were connected with the hopes for creation of an open society, freedom from ideological control and restoration of civil rights. New generations of artists - young veterans and “children of war”, were looking for a way to renew the style and imagery of art. Critics named the new version of 'Soviet art “severe style”. It’s characterized by monumental laconic forms, usage of close-ups, sharp contrasts, clear compositional rhythms and cinematic effect of a frame snatched from the flow of life. Direct, active focus on the audience was a metaphor of modernity. In the search for subjects artists turned to the heroic past of the country, to their own personal history as well as to everyday life. The originators of “severe style” were Moscow artists.
The Mediateka
The theme of this publication is Russian portraits over the past hundred years, painting a vivid picture of every period in the twentieth century. The more than 400 illustrations were all taken from the collection of the State Russian Museum in St Petersburg, home to the world's largest collection of Russian art.
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A Revolutionary myth in Russian painting of the 20th century. A Lecture
С. С. Ершова
02 November 2017