Russians had always admired the works of their creative artists and considered many of their poems, novels, and musical works important national achievements. In addition, the average Russian citizen took great pride in the collection of European masterworks in the Hermitage, a grand museum in the city of Leningrad. On the occasion of a visit to Leningrad, the Russian tourist always made sure to visit the Hermitage, just as visitors to Moscow always undertook a pilgrimage to Lenin's tomb in Red Square.

But artists working in modern Communist Russia had to be careful about their style and their subject matter. Under the Communist system, artists were expected to direct all forms of personal expression to a single end: glorifying the state, its workers, and their achievements. All artists were supposed to paint useful and realistic pictures, with their subject matter limited to...