Josef Stalin defaced drawings with rude comments
Josef Stalin defaced classical nude drawings with macabre messages ridiculing political opponents that he had executed, a new exhibition has revealed.
The artwork, which has gone on display for the first time, offers a disturbing insight into his violent psyche and warped sense of humour.
Although the sketches depict people Stalin did not know, some of the images obviously reminded him of people he had killed or purged as he conducts angry one-way dialogue with them by scrawling on the drawings.
Indeed, many of the drawings are accompanied by sexually suggestive comments. A naked man scratching his head while standing over a naked prostrate woman is clearly too much for Stalin to take. “You idiot,” he writes. “Have you completely forgotten what to do?”
Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)
The artwork, which has gone on display for the first time, offers a disturbing insight into his violent psyche and warped sense of humour.
Although the sketches depict people Stalin did not know, some of the images obviously reminded him of people he had killed or purged as he conducts angry one-way dialogue with them by scrawling on the drawings.
Indeed, many of the drawings are accompanied by sexually suggestive comments. A naked man scratching his head while standing over a naked prostrate woman is clearly too much for Stalin to take. “You idiot,” he writes. “Have you completely forgotten what to do?”