A Superb Collection of Soviet Art

A Beautiful Display of Artwork at the Hotel Ukraine

Soviet art can be characterized as the visual art of Soviet Russia following the revolution of 1917. It was an era in which the intense ideologies of various artistic groups vied to determine the direction of the movement. To be officially approved, art had to follow the principles of Socialist Realism, which is a style of idealized art that features a glorified version of communist values.

The hotel’s collection of original artwork consists of 1,256 paintings. It features some of the most illustrious classic artists of the period of Socialist Realism, such as Artistarkh Lentulov, Nikolay Romadin, Dmitry Nalbandyan, and Michael Suzdaltsev as well as other less-familiar artists. The collection also includes works from other fascinating Soviet-era artists, like M. Birnshtein, M. Ivanov, G. Nissky and Y. Romas as well as a range of sketches that Vasily Polenov made while he was traveling around Crimea. In addition to the paintings and sketches, there is also a diorama of Moscow and its surroundings as they appeared in 1977.

Featured Artist: Aleksandr Deyneka

A multidisciplinary artist, Aleksandr Deyneka is considered to be one of Russia’s most important contemporary figurative painters and has been celebrated for exemplifying the Socialist Realist art style. Deynka studied at Kharkov Art College as well as at Vkhutemas and began working on genre scenes, often in a single color because of a shortage of art supplies at the time. He later gained recognition for creating works like The Defense of Petrograd and The Battle of Sevastopol. Deynka’s mosaics are still featured at the Mayakovskaya metro station in Moscow.

Featured Artist: Aristarkh Lentulov

Avant-garde cubist Aristarkh Lentulov used bold colors in his Russian folklore-inspired works. Born in rural areas to a priest, he studied in art schools and then under the guidance of celebrated artists like illustrator and stage designer Dmitry Kardovsky and the French cubist Henri Le Fauconnier. After spending years abroad, Lentulov returned to Russia to become an influencer in the Russia futurism movement, particularly in Cubo-Futurism. Both Kazimir Malevich and Wassily Kandinsky were influenced by his vivid works. In later years, Lentulov became involved in set design for theatrical projects and eventually also began teaching at Vkhutemas.

Featured Artist: Romadin Nikolay Mikhailovich and His Dreamy Landscapes

The highly regarded painter and graphic artist, Romadin Nikolay Michailovich did not always work as an artist. Born to a family of railroad employees, Mikhailovich worked as a newsman, bookbinder, and baker before beginning his career as a landscape painter. He then diversified to create works that portrayed revolutionary and historical themes. Mikhailovich achieved several awards, including the People’s Artist of the USSR, the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of Lenin, and the State Prize. He was also awarded the Lenin Prize for a range of landscapes he painted. In addition to being featured on the walls of the Radisson Collection, Moscow, this renowned artist’s works are also displayed in several museum collections, such as the State Russian Museum and the State Tretyakov Gallery.