The Leningrad “school” of lithography: an exhibition of Soviet graphics in London (1961) in the context of time and in historical perspective
No. 2 (41) (2026), Art of the 20th – 21st centuries
No. 2 (41) (2026)

The Leningrad “school” of lithography: an exhibition of Soviet graphics in London (1961) in the context of time and in historical perspective

Art of the 20th – 21st centuries
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2026.02.013
Published 2026-06-30
Alexander O. Kotlomanov
Saint Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Arts and Design, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation

eLibrary ID kotlomanov@yandex.ru

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1917-2510

Выпуск № 2 (41) 2026 журнала "Искусство Евразии"
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Keywords

Leningrad lithography, Leningrad art, Soviet graphics, printed graphics, art exhibitions,

How to Cite

Kotlomanov A. O. The Leningrad “school” of lithography: an exhibition of Soviet graphics in London (1961) in the context of time and in historical perspective // The Art of Eurasia, 2026. № 2 (41). P. 216–229. URL: https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2026.02.013.
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Abstract

This study explores the Leningrad ‘school’ of lithography and its international recognition during the ‘Thaw’ period. The Grosvenor Gallery exhibition in London in 1961 played a significant role in this recognition, leading to the showing of Leningrad artists’ works in the USA and their acquisition by renowned collections. As interest in this event continues and is reflected in various initiatives highlighting the distinctiveness of the Saint Petersburg (Leningrad) artistic tradition, this topic provides an opportunity to indirectly revisit questions of identity within Saint Petersburg art. The London exhibition is analysed from multiple perspectives, including its prehistory through foreign exhibitions of Soviet graphics (late 1930s–1950s) and Russian and Soviet painting (1959). The study also considers the discourse of British art criticism during this period. Additionally, the context of British printmaking is examined, with a focus on Julian Trevelyan, a prominent artist who visited the Leningrad Union of Artists shortly before the exhibition and published his impressions in “The Studio” magazine in 1961. The study also discusses issues of artistic style within the spectrum between Socialist Realism and ‘figurative’ art, drawing on the receptive formulations of British critics. The concluding findings address the international transcription of the figurative and stylistic language of Russian art, specifically 20th-century Leningrad graphics.

https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2026.02.013

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