Kulak Collection

You are not yet a member of the cooperative - sign up immediately!, 1927-1928. Private Collection

Why do landowner and kulak sharpen their knives and teeth... 1920. Found in the collection of Russian State Library, Moscow

Kulak and Priest, 1922. Creator: Deni (Denisov), Viktor Nikolaevich (1893-1946)
Kulak and Priest, 1922. Private Collection

Kulak-bloodsucker: What do I care about the hungry?!, 1921. Creator: Deni (Denisov)
Kulak-bloodsucker: What do I care about the hungry?!, 1921. Private Collection

The owner, Mid 1920s. Found in the Collection of State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Down with the damned parasites! Cover of the Lapot Satirical Journal, 1924. Private Collection

Buy the State Winning Loan for the Strengthening of Peasant Economy, 1928. Private Collection

The Kolkhoz Meeting, Early 1930s. Private Collection

By the end of a five-years plan collectivization should be finished (Poster), 1932. Artist: Klutsis, Gustav (1895-1938)
By the end of a five-years plan collectivization should be finished (Poster), 1932. Found in the collection of the Russian State Library, Moscow

Poster for the theatre play Flax, 1931. Artist: Kondratov, Fyodor Filippovich (1896-1944)
Poster for the theatre play Flax, 1931. Found in the collection of the Russian State Library, Moscow

The Family of the Serednyaks, 1929. Artist: Palmov, Viktor Nikandrovich (1888-1929)
The Family of the Serednyaks, 1929. Found in the collection of the State Art Museum, Samara

Russian Kulaks
Two kulaks in Soviet Union just before the collectivisation of agriculture, 1920s. Date: 1920s

Kolkhoz (collective farm) workers discover a cache of rotting wheat hidden near a kulak (rich peasant)s house, kurgansky region, soviet union, 1932

Mean Collection, 1891 (oil on canvas)
BAL105692 Mean Collection, 1891 (oil on canvas) by Mrevlishvili, A. (19th century); 34x45 cm; Georgian State Picture Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia; Russian, out of copyright

A kulak (so called rich peasant) being arrested while trying to hide grain requisitioned by the state, the red ludorvay collective farm, viatsky province, soviet union, 1930

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In the early 1920s, tensions rose between landowners and kulaks in Soviet Russia. As the country underwent a period of intense social and political change, these two groups found themselves at odds with each other. The sharpening of knives and teeth became symbolic of their readiness to defend their respective interests. Landowners feared losing their wealth and power, while kulaks sought to protect their economic status as prosperous peasants. Deni's satirical artwork from 1922 depicted this clash between the kulak and the priest, highlighting how both groups were seen as exploiting the masses for personal gain. The image portrayed them as bloodsuckers preying on the vulnerable. By the mid-1920s, calls to eradicate these "parasites" grew louder. The Lapot Satirical Journal's cover in 1924 expressed society's disdain towards landowners who profited off others' hardships. However, not all peasants were considered kulaks; those who joined cooperatives were encouraged to do so immediately through propaganda campaigns like "You are not yet a member of the cooperative - sign up immediately. " (1927-28). This aimed to promote collectivization and strengthen peasant economy. As time went on, collectivization efforts intensified. Posters such as Gustav Klutsis' 1932 artwork emphasized that by completing five-year plans, collectivization would be fully achieved. These posters served as reminders of societal goals during this transformative era. Art also reflected everyday life during this period. Fyodor Kondratov's poster for Flax (1931) showcased theater plays that highlighted agricultural themes central to Soviet life at that time. Viktor Palmov's painting "The Family of Serednyaks" (1929) depicted a typical peasant family affected by collectivization policies. It captured both hope for progress but also potential challenges faced by families like theirs during this tumultuous period.