Kukryniksy – "Harvesting Is a Terrible Blow to the Enemy!" – 1941 – Official State Russian Museum Facsimile Edition – 62 × 92 cm / 24.4 × 36.2 in

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A rare and museum-authorised facsimile of one of the most iconic anti-fascist posters of the Second World War — “УБОРКА УРОЖАЯ — ГРОЗНЫЙ УДАР ПО ВРАГУ!” (“Harvesting Is a Terrible Blow to the Enemy!”), designed in August 1941 during the critical opening months of the Eastern Front by the legendary Soviet satirical collective Kukryniksy. Published in 2004 by Palace Editions / The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, and printed on premium archival paper to replicate the ink depth and texture of the 1941 original. The reverse bears the official printed historical cataloguing stamp and copyright metadata of the State Russian Museum.

The composition is devastating in its simplicity: a monumental pair of worker’s hands binds a massive golden sheaf of wheat, while a sweeping red ribbon lashes across the golden background and knocks back a grotesque, cowering caricature of Adolf Hitler — weapons dropping from his hands in terror. The message is unambiguous: the Soviet harvest is itself a weapon of war, and the home front is as much a battlefield as the front line. The original publisher was the Iskusstvo State Publishing House, Moscow / Leningrad.

The name Kukryniksy is itself a piece of Soviet cultural history. The collective pseudonym was coined from the opening syllables of the surnames Kupriyanov and Krylov, combined with the first three letters of the given name and the initial of the surname of Nikolai Sokolov. The trio first worked together as students at the VKhUTEMAS (Higher Art and Technical Studios) in Moscow — initially as “Kukry” or “Krykupy” — and became Kukryniksy in 1924 when Sokolov joined. For decades, millions of Soviet readers never suspected that these celebrated caricatures were the work of three very specific and decorated individuals: Heroes of Socialist Labour Mikhail Kupriyanov (1903–1991), Porfiry Krylov (1902–1990), and Nikolai Sokolov (1903–2000). A foundational acquisition for archives specialising in World War II history, Soviet editorial caricature, or socialist realism.

Edition Details

This is not a vintage original — it is an authorised museum facsimile reproduction, published by the State Russian Museum.

Artist: Kukryniksy — Mikhail Kupriyanov (1903–1991), Porfiry Krylov (1902–1990), Nikolai Sokolov (1903–2000)
Original title: Уборка урожая — грозный удар по врагу! (“Harvesting Is a Terrible Blow to the Enemy!”)
Original design year: 1941
Original publisher: Iskusstvo State Publishing House, Moscow / Leningrad
Facsimile publisher: Palace Editions / The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Facsimile year: 2004
Authentication: Official State Russian Museum cataloguing stamp and copyright metadata on reverse
Style: Soviet WW2 Agitprop / Satirical Caricature
Size: 62 × 92 cm (24.4 × 36.2″)
Medium: Multi-colour lithograph on premium archival paper

Condition

Overall: Excellent / Fine (Like New)

Wear: None. This is a clean museum facsimile copy free from tears, folds, heavy creasing, or handling marks.

Details: Colours are vivid and fully saturated. The reverse remains completely clean with pristine, legible museum metadata. Ready for immediate custom framing.

Please review the high-resolution photographs for a full and accurate representation. What you see is what you receive.

Shipping & Packaging

We handle archival paper with the utmost care to ensure it arrives immaculate.

Handling: Dispatched within 1–3 business days of arrival at our studio
Packaging: Rolled in acid-free tissue paper and shipped in a heavy-duty reinforced mailing tube — no folding, no creasing, no edge damage
Tracking: Fully tracked from our studio to your door
Standard delivery: Registered post (BH Pošta), arriving in 1–4 weeks
Express delivery: DHL Express available at checkout — delivery in 2–5 business days

International buyers are responsible for any applicable customs fees or import taxes.

Framing

Professional custom framing is available for this piece upon request. Contact us before checkout to discuss options and tailored pricing.