Development of Penza Art School in 1938–1964: the role of the Regional branch of the Union of Painters 

Evgeny A. Anshakov, Postgraduate student of the sub-department of history and socio-political disciplines, Samara Campus of Moscow City University (76 Stara-Zagora street, Samara, Russia), E-mail: anshackov.evgenij@yandex.ru
Ekaterina P. Barinova, Doctor of historical sciences, professor, professor of the sub-department of national history and historiography, Samara National Research University (34 Moskovskoye highway, Samara, Russia), E-mail: Rfnz25@yandex.ru

Background. The establishment of the state monopoly in the sphere of art has changed the vector and trajectories of the development of the artistic process. For a long time opposite tendencies coexisted in the ideological campaigns of the state and in the practice of real artistic life. The purpose of the research is to reveal the specifics of creation and activity of Penza branch of the organisation “Union of Soviet Painters”. Materials and methods. System-structural method was used to study the ways of interaction between the authorities and creative artistic intelligentsia, to identify the effectiveness of the regional branch. The comparative-historical method allowed to reveal the specificity of activity of the regional branch of the “Union of Soviet Рainters”. Results. The study showed the influ-ence of ideological campaigns on the themes and stylistics of creative works. The direc-tions of individual creative searches of Penza artists were revealed. Organisational difficul-ties of the department's activity were noted: insufficient funding, lack of premises for crea-tive work and irregularity of orders. The close connection of the department with the art school, which provided the personnel potential of the department, had a positive influence. Penza branch demonstrated organisational stability and a high level of participation of crea-tive intellectuals in exhibitions. Conclusions. Penza artists contributed to the development of Soviet art. The management of Penza branch and the regional authorities exercised ideo-logical control over the work of artists, but did not completely suppress individual artistic endeavours. Organisational problems of the branch and lack of material resources hindered the development of Penza art school, but the strong connection with the art school ensured relative stability.

Union of Soviet Painters, Penza branch, artistic creativity, post-war period, So-viet art, board, personnel problems

Anshakov E.A., Barinova E.P. Development of Penza art school in 1938–1964: the role of the regional branch of the Union of Painters. Izvestiya vysshikh uchebnykh zavedeniy. Povolzhskiy region. Gumanitarnye nauki = University proceedings. Volga re-gion. Humanities. 2025;(1):139–150. (In Russ.). doi: 10.21685/2072-3024-2025-1-12