Valentina Vladimirovna Petrova’s “Inspirers of the Revolution” (1970s) captures the Soviet Union's enduring engagement with its revolutionary heritage. This linocut assembles prominent figures of revolutionary thought in a densely packed composition, unified under the ideological framework of socialism and Marxism. The work reaffirms the state’s legitimacy by glorifying its intellectual roots during a period of internal stagnation and external Cold War tensions. Petrova’s decision to include an international array of socialist and anarchist thinkers underscores the USSR’s aspiration to position itself as the ideological heir of global revolutionary movements.

At the heart of the composition is a tightly clustered, almost suffocating arrangement of iconic figures, each distinguished by unique facial features yet visually harmonised through the restrained red-and-black palette. Interspersed among the figures are the cyrillic names of Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Alexander Herzen, while the inclusion of Alexandra Kollontai—a revolutionary, politician, diplomat, and Marxist theoretician—draws attention to women’s often marginalised contributions to revolutionary thought.

Petrova’s use of the stark red-and-black palette, a hallmark of revolutionary propaganda aesthetics, conveys a sense of urgency and ideological fervour. Her command of linocut techniques is evident in the contrasting textures and bold linear elements, particularly in the scratched, almost combative quality of the linework, which injects the piece with dynamic visual energy. The integration of text and imagery highlights Petrova’s ability to fuse graphic art with ideological messaging, a skill honed through her experience as a book illustrator. This technical precision of the linocut, while rooted in the constructivist and socialist realist traditions, reveals a more personal, experimental approach to revolutionary iconography.

Valentina Vladimirovna Petrova (1922–2018) was a renowned Soviet graphic artist and illustrator celebrated for her mastery of lithography and book design. A graduate of the Ilya Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, she became a member of the USSR Union of Artists in 1948 and earned the title of Honoured Artist of the RSFSR in 1968. Petrova’s work was featured in major exhibitions, including the Soviet Graphics exhibition in Sweden (1965) and the Fourth All-Union Print Exhibition in Vilnius (1969), earning accolades such as the Gold Medal at the Leipzig Exhibition (1965) and the First Prize of the USSR Union of Artists (1969). Her lithographs and illustrations, which often reflected themes of Soviet life and revolutionary history, are preserved in institutions like the Perm State Art Gallery and the Kiev Branch of the Central Lenin Museum.