Nude reclining 1975

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this line drawing of a reclining nude sometime during his life between 1927 and 1984. It explores themes of sexuality and the human form. Made in the Soviet Union, the artwork's seemingly simple lines carry a challenge to the prevailing Socialist Realism promoted by state institutions. While the nude form has a long tradition in Western art, its place in Soviet society was fraught with ideological tension. Was it an affirmation of the beauty of the human body, or a decadent indulgence of bourgeois culture? To understand the implications of this drawing we could research the history of art academies in the Soviet Union. We can read periodicals and theoretical texts on the role of art in the construction of a socialist society. Through this research, the image reveals itself to be not merely a nude, but a bold statement about artistic freedom in a restrictive political environment.