Greetings to the Congress of Soviet Writers! (Baskin L.) Soviet Posters (1917-1941)

The composition presents a group of figures arranged in a hierarchical manner before a monumental portrait dominating the background. The central figure, rendered with considerable detail and a stern expression, appears to be addressing the individuals positioned below him. His gaze is directed forward, conveying an air of authority and expectation.
Below this imposing presence, seven individuals are depicted, each holding a book aloft. Their postures suggest enthusiastic participation or perhaps dutiful adherence to a prescribed gesture. The figures vary in age and apparent social standing; one appears to be a young boy, positioned at the far right edge of the group. They are uniformly dressed in dark suits, reinforcing a sense of collective identity and conformity.
The background is starkly divided into red and white planes, creating a high-contrast visual field that emphasizes the central portrait and the figures below. The use of red, a color strongly associated with socialist ideology, further underscores the works political context. A quotation appears at the bottom, seemingly endorsing the idea that literary activity should be integrated within broader societal goals.
The overall effect is one of orchestrated enthusiasm and ideological alignment. Here we see an attempt to visually connect individual writers with a larger, authoritative figure and to portray literature as an instrument serving a collective purpose. The composition’s rigidity and lack of individualized expression suggest a deliberate effort to suppress personal agency in favor of a unified political message. The image functions less as a celebration of artistic creativity and more as a demonstration of ideological conformity and the subordination of individual expression to state-sanctioned ideals.