The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-11-27

attention to art; and in that respect he usually
considered himself totally incompetent For that
reason, as all dlettantism foreign and hateful
to him, he did not like to give an opinion on ques-
tons of art. His tastes, however, were nonetheless
definite He loved the Russian classics and he liked
realism in literature, painting etc.
Once, in the year 1906 the time of the first reyo.
luton, he had the opportunity to spend a night at
the home Of Comrade D. /. Leshtchenko which con-
tanned a whole series of Knackfuss monographs of
the worlds greatest artists. On the next morning
Vladimir Hyitch said to me, "How wonderful is the
realm of the history of art! How much work it
offers for the Communist! Last night | could not 20
to sleep till morning-I examined one book after
another. And it vexed me that | had no time to
occupy myself with art and that never shall
have!"
Several times l had the opportunity-it was after
the revolution-to confer with Lenin at various &C.
easions about matters Of art 1 remember for ex.
ample that he once asked me the telephone to
go with him and Kamenev to see an exhibit of
models for statue which was to be set up oh the
magnificent pedestal next to the Christ Cathedral
in the Krem. from which the figure of Alexander III
had just been removed. Vladimir nyitch examined
all these models with a critical eye Not one pleased
him For long time he contemplated monument
in futurisc style, and when asked for his opinion
he answered, Here l comprehend nothing ask
Lunatcharsky" Upon my remark that 1 saw no
design worthy of execution, he was very happy and
said, "And thought you would set up some futur-
istic scare-crow"
AT another time a memorial of Karl Marx was
under consideration. The wellknown sculptor, M
manifested particular obstinacy. He exhibited a
large project for statue called "Kar Marx on the
-Four Elephants" This unexpected conception ap-
peared very curious to us, and also to Vladimir
Hyitch. The artist began to alter his design and
he did this three times; under no circumstance did
he wish to forego the victory over his competitors
When under my craftsmanship the jury definitely
rejected his model and gave preference to COM
design of group of artists under the direction
of Ayoshin, the sculptor M. rushed into the study
of Vladimir nytch and complained to him about the
matter Vladimir Ilytch took his grievance to heart
and asked me over the telephone to call in new
jury. He declared that he would inspect the model
of Alyoshin and that of the sculptor M. himself.
He actually came, and approved Alyoshin's design;
but that of the sculptor M. he also rejected
In the year the group of Alyoshin erected for
the May celebration miniature of Karl Marx on
the spot where the memorial to be placed.
Vladimir Ilytch walked several times around the
statue, asked suddenly how large it was going to
be- finally declared himself satisfied added how
ever, turning to me, "Anatoly Vasilyevitch remind
the artist to see that the hair of the head be more
Ike so as to give the same good impression does
a portrait of Marx; it seems if it were little
unlike"
Already in the year 1915 Vladimir Ilyitch called
me to him and told that art ought to be used for
agitation purposes; at the same time he presented
two projects to me- First, according to his opinion
buildings, walls, etc. where bills are usually post
ed should be furnished with large revolutionary in
scriptions, several of which he at once suggested
Gen. Brchnitchev took up this project later, when
he director of the branch for mass-education in
Homel. When l to Home found the city
literally covered with these inscriptions, which real
ly would not have been bad had they been true to
the original conception. Even the mirrors in a
large restaurant, where an enlightenment committee
was chartered, were written over with proverbs and
citations.
In Moscow and Leningrad this idea was never
realized neither in the exaggerated form of Homel
nor in one resembling the conception of Ilyitch
The second project dealt with the erection of
memorials for the great revolutionists, and on
prov of pIas 90