The Red Ploughman
Poster
April 1920 (published)
April 1920 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This poster was made soon after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Aimed at rallying Russia’s large and predominantly illiterate population, it pledges to do away with the old order, symbolised by the paraphernalia of church, aristocracy and army being ploughed into the ground by a red-shirted peasant. The caption reads: ‘On the wild field amid the ruins of evil Lordship and Capital we shall drive our plough and gather the good harvest of happiness for the whole working people'
The poster was given to the Museum by Sir Basil Thomson KCB, the then Director of Intelligence Services. This poster had probably been confiscated by British Intelligence Services on its arrival in the country, for fear it would stir up revolutionary feeling amongst British workers.
The poster was given to the Museum by Sir Basil Thomson KCB, the then Director of Intelligence Services. This poster had probably been confiscated by British Intelligence Services on its arrival in the country, for fear it would stir up revolutionary feeling amongst British workers.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Red Ploughman (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Colour lithography |
| Brief description | Poster, 'The Red Ploughman'; Russia, 1920 |
| Physical description | Landscape format poster printed in colours. A ploughman in red shirt and striped trousers drives his black horse harnessed to a plough from right to left across the image. On the ground beneath their feet are strewn crowns, helmets, sacks of money etc. Behind the ploughman a huge yellow sunburst breaks against a night sky. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | This poster was made soon after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Aimed at rallying Russia’s large and predominantly illiterate population, it pledges to do away with the old order. A red-shirted peasant ploughs into the ground the paraphernalia of church, aristocracy and army. Storm clouds of change make way for glorious sunshine.
A World to Win: Posters of Protest and Revolution, V&A, Galleries 88a and 90, (1 May-2 Nov 2014)(01/05/2014-02/11/2014) |
| Credit line | Given by Sir Basil Thomson KCB |
| Production | all inscriptions are in Russian the title above is a translation |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | This poster was made soon after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Aimed at rallying Russia’s large and predominantly illiterate population, it pledges to do away with the old order, symbolised by the paraphernalia of church, aristocracy and army being ploughed into the ground by a red-shirted peasant. The caption reads: ‘On the wild field amid the ruins of evil Lordship and Capital we shall drive our plough and gather the good harvest of happiness for the whole working people' The poster was given to the Museum by Sir Basil Thomson KCB, the then Director of Intelligence Services. This poster had probably been confiscated by British Intelligence Services on its arrival in the country, for fear it would stir up revolutionary feeling amongst British workers. |
| Associated object | |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.2444-1921 |
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| Record created | March 5, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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