Russian+American+Artwork

Russian American Art By Megan Roth



Russian emigration was discouraged or even forbidden for centuries. For a while, Russians who wanted to come to America had to sneak out because they weren’t allowed to leave. Many Russians left for America during the years 1870-1920 because it was allowed during these years. The first Russians who came to America were middle class people that were trying to get away from the Russian government. The government was extremely controlling; it had secret police and censored the press. The Russians wanted to come to America for freedom. In the late 19th century, many Russians came to America because after the assassination of Alexander II, there were massacres against the Jewish community. When the Russians got to America, they settled in mostly Alaska and California in the beginning. As more people came, they started to settle and develop communities in New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Buffalo, and Detroit. Unskilled laborers who did not speak English had trouble finding jobs, and most of them ended up working in factories and mines, which was very hard work. Whether they had to sneak out of the country or leave without danger, many Russians came to America.

Russian immigrants contributed culturally and artistically to America. Literature was important in Russia, and immigrants who came to America continued to recognize this importance. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is a famous author who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1970. He wrote the novel, First Circle, which spoke out against the evils of communism in the Soviet Union. I chose this book because it helps teach Americans on prison camps and human rights abuses of Soviet communism. This book also makes Americans think about the way they viewed their own lives. Music was also brought over by Russians to America. Irving Berlin, a Jewish Russian American, wrote a variety of songs that are extremely popular in the United States. Berlin wrote “White Christmas” which is a song that many Americans have listened to. I chose this song because it is a classic song that almost all Americans know. Russian immigrants have brought much of their culture and art to America.

The theme of First Circle was criticism of the Soviet Union’s oppressive communist system. It explains the hardships that Russians had to endure because of the government. It took place during the 40’s and 50’s, and talks about intellectuals and research scientists caught up in prisons and camps. They had to secretly work for the police and debate politics and morality. If the prisoners did not do good work, they had to go to the lower circles of the labor camps. When Americans read this book, it effects the way they think about life because they see how good their lives are compared to these awful conditions. The theme of the negatively viewed Russian government occurs in many books and sometimes on the television. The ideas of First Circle were taken by television, broadcasted in 2006, and attracted a very large audience. Russian literature wasn’t the only thing that effected Americans though. Music written by Russian American composers is very popular in America. Irving Berlin wrote “White Christmas” which is a song about a perfect Christmas with a lot of snow on the ground. Christmas is a big part of life and an important holiday for many Americans. The song was originally written for the movie, “Holiday Inn.” It then became a classic American song that impacted people in America, especially families waiting for soldiers fighting in World War II to come home. These families felt they could relate to the song because it desires a perfect Christmas with the family. I think the theme is aspiration for a perfect life. The white Christmas could be a metaphor for a perfect life in America because immigrants who came over from Russia strived for this. The themes of the unfavorable government in Russia and desire for a perfect life in America both educated and influenced Americans.

The Influence of Russain Art by Ryan Marsh



By the late 19th century the United States saw the first massive wave of immigration from many areas of Europe. Millions traveled to the new world during this time period for political and economical reasons. Others were groups seeking freedom from religious prosecution. The most prominent Russian groups that immigrated to the USA included Russian Jews, who escaped to New York and other cities on the coast and the Molokans, who moved to Virginia and North and South Dakota. There were also several other groups like the Old Believers, who were prosecuted in there home country and eventually settled in states like California, Organ and Pennsylvania. By around 1917 there were millions of Russians living in the USA. Each immigrant ventured from their homeland to America with a goal in mind and with a hope to take advantage of the opportunities that the United States has to offer. However, some Russians had better luck then others. Many Russian scientists and engineers came over to the USA, secured job opportunities, and moved away from the poor economic situation they had back home. Other groups included political refugees who came over to the United States but still faced tough times finding jobs along with political and social judgment.

The Russians were responsible for bringing many aspects of there culture to the United States. More specifically, art was a major aspect of Russian culture that was brought over and shared with America. Today, the museum of Russian Arts allows countless people to explore new perspectives of Russian history heritage and art. The Russian Imperial Porcelain produced beautiful dinnerware and decorative pieces for the royal homes of the Tsars. They were beautifully crafted and hand painted for sovereigns and guests of the House of Romanov. These porcalains were originally maid for the Emperors and Empresses of Russia. Paintings were also a major part of Russian culture. For example, The Art of Vasili Nechitailo displays how remarkable his sense of color and unique color solutions were. His native Kuban retained an irresistible fascination for him and he frequently traveled from Moscow to southern Russia to portray. These two examples of Russian art were very prominent in there home country.

The Porcelain works that are displayed at the Museum of Russian Arts have impressed Americans day in and day out. The factory in St. Petersburg continues producing remarkable objects of decorative art to this day; which shows the perseverance of this kind of art. Workers in this factory have a great attention to detail and this can be seen through each piece that is created. The art work of Vasili Nechitailo showed how expressive and creative many Russian painters were. His bold brushstrokes were highly expressive and he truly captured the scene in all of his paintings. He mastered capturing the beauty in his works and that is what made him stop one of the most renowned Russian artists of the 20th century. American artists were able to study such Russian works of art and that allowed them to positively alter there artistic styles.



