Great Purge Collection

Vigilance is our weapon. Be vigilant! (Poster), 1953. Artist: Shirokograd, B
Vigilance is our weapon. Be vigilant! (Poster), 1953. Found in the collection of the Russian State Library, Moscow

Be observant when standing sentinel! (Poster), 1953. Artist: Golub, Pyotr Semyonovich (1913-1953)
Be observant when standing sentinel! (Poster), 1953. Found in the collection of the Russian State Library, Moscow

Richard Vitoldovich Pickel (1896-1936), Early 1930s. Creator: Anonymous
Richard Vitoldovich Pickel (1896-1936), Early 1930s. Private Collection

Destroy the enemy of the people Trotsky!, 1937. Artist: Deni (Denisov), Viktor Nikolaevich (1893-1946)
Destroy the enemy of the people Trotsky!, 1937. Found in the collection of the Russian State Library, Moscow

On the knees, 1920s. Creator: Galperin, Lev Solomonovich (1886-1938)
On the knees, 1920s. Found in the Collection of Regional I. Savitsky Art Museum, Nukus

The Zindan (Prison), 1930s. Creator: Bure, Leon (Lev) Leonardovich (1887-1943)
The Zindan (Prison), 1930s. Found in the Collection of Regional I. Savitsky Art Museum, Nukus

Before search and seizure (from the series of watercolors Russian revolution), 1920. From a private collection

More fire at the class enemy!, 1933. Artist: Klinch (Petrushansky), Boris Grigoryevich
More fire at the class enemy!, 1933. Found in the collection of the Russian State Library, Moscow

Karl Julius Danishevsky (1884-1938), ca 1917-1919. Private Collection

Karl Julius Danishevsky (1884-1938), 1919. Private Collection

Portrait of the poet Bruno Jasienski (1901-1938), 1923. Private Collection

Portrait of the poet Bruno Jasienski (1901-1938), c. 1920. Found in the collection of Muzeum Sztuki Lodz

The Solovki prison camp (SLON), 1927-1928. Found in the collection of Memorial, historical and civil rights society

The Moscow-Volga Canal is opened, 1937. Found in the Collection of Russian State Library, Moscow

The enemies of the Five Year Plan, 1929. Found in the collection of Russian State Library, Moscow

Portrait, 1933. Artist: Klutsis, Gustav (1895-1938)
Portrait, 1933. Private Collection

Concert band of the Solovki prison camp Artist: Anonymous
Concert band of the Solovki prison camp. Found in the collection of State Museum of the Political History of Russia, St. Petersburg

Soviet power does not punish, it corrects (The slogan on the wall of the former Red Corner punishmen Artist: Anonymous)
Soviet power does not punish, it corrects (The slogan on the wall of the former Red Corner punishment cell of GULAG). Found in the collection of State Museum of the Political History of Russia, St

Shock workers of GULAG Artist: Anonymous
Shock workers of GULAG. Found in the collection of State Museum of the Political History of Russia, St. Petersburg

Hot work will melt away your prison term!, ca 1935. Found in the Collection of Memorial, historical and civil rights society

We ll uproot spies and diversionists of the Trotsky-Bukharinite agents of fascism!, 1937. Found in the collection of the Russian State Library, Moscow

May Day on Lenins Mausoleum Tribune, 1953
May Day on Lenins Mausoleum Tribune

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The Great Purge, a dark chapter in Soviet history, unfolded with ruthless intensity during the late 1930s. Under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, this campaign aimed to eliminate perceived threats to his regime and consolidate his power. The chilling artwork from that era captures the atmosphere of fear and oppression that gripped the nation. In Deni's powerful piece "Destroy the enemy of the people Trotsky. " painted in 1937, we witness an artist's portrayal of Leon Trotsky as a dangerous figure deserving eradication. This image reflects Stalin's relentless pursuit to eliminate any potential rivals or dissenters. Lev Galperin's haunting creation "On the knees" transports us back to the 1920s when individuals were subjected to humiliating interrogations and forced confessions. It serves as a reminder of how fear permeated every aspect of life during this period. Leon Bure's depiction titled "The Zindan (Prison)" takes us into one of many grim detention centers where countless innocent lives were shattered. These prisons became symbols of terror and despair for those who dared challenge Stalin's authority. Through watercolors like "Before search and seizure" from Boris Klinch’s Russian revolution series in 1920, we glimpse at prelude moments before families were torn apart by arbitrary arrests and confiscation of property - all part of Stalin’s strategy to maintain control through intimidation. Heart-wrenching scenes such as "Man being held and executed" by an unknown artist in 1919 reveal brutal executions carried out under false pretenses during earlier revolutionary times—a precursor to what would later become widespread purges. Boris Klinch strikes again with his fiery artwork titled "More fire at the class enemy. " created in 1933. This piece exemplifies how propaganda was used effectively against supposed enemies within society—further fueling paranoia among citizens.