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The Commissar Vanishes David King

The Commissar Vanishes By David King

The Commissar Vanishes by David King


£15.00
New RRP £25.00
Condition - Very Good
Only 2 left

Summary

Looks at how Joseph Stalin manipulated the science of photography to further his own political career and to erase the memory of his victims. King has assembled a large archive of doctored photographs from the Soviet era, the best of which have been selected for this book.

The Commissar Vanishes Summary

The Commissar Vanishes: Falsification of Photographs and Art in the Soviet Union by David King

This volume looks at how Joseph Stalin manipulated the science of photography to further his own political career and to erase the memory of his victims. Over the past 30 years, author and photo-historian David King has assembled the world's largest archive of doctored photographs from the Soviet era, the best of which have been selected for this book. A 1919 photograph of a large crowd of Bolsheviks clustered around Lenin becomes, with the aid of an airbrush, an intimate portrait of Lenin and Stalin sitting alone, and then, in its final version, Stalin by himself. In another, a victim of the purges is replaced by a ghostly Corinthian pillar. In a third, Trostsky is removed from Lenin's side on the occasion of one of the early Bolshevik rallies as was his photograph from almost every book in every library in Russia. According to officialdom Trostsky simply didn't exist. In each case, the juxtaposition of the original and the doctored image yields a terrifying - and often tragically funny - insight into a dark period of history. The end result is an illuminating record which reveals how easily history can be distorted.

Additional information

GOR003383520
9780862417246
0862417244
The Commissar Vanishes: Falsification of Photographs and Art in the Soviet Union by David King
Used - Very Good
Paperback
Canongate Books
19971000
192
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

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