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First Decorated Heroes of Liberated Odessa

Dmitri Baltermants

Artwork Details

First Decorated Heroes of Liberated Odessa
circa 1944, printed 2003
Dmitri Baltermants
gelatin silver print on paper
16 in x 20 in (40.64 cm x 50.8 cm)
Gift of Thomas Wilson '79 and Jill Garling '80
2015/2.106

On Display

Not currently on display

Description

Subject Matter:

In this photograph, a civilian woman admires a medal pinned to the breast of a young Soviet soldier’s uniform. This pair stands at the center of a crowd of civilians and soldiers who meet in a city street. Curiosity, respect, and amicability all describe the interactions among the individuals in the photograph. The crowd presses up against the picture plane, while the pale forms of building façades and the branches of trees fill the background. This image forms part of Baltermants’ larger project—as an official photographer to the Kremlin—which, spread across numerous portfolios, aimed to document scenes from the Soviet Union’s fight against Nazi Germany during World War II (1939-1945), known in the USSR as the Great Patriotic War.   

Physical Description:

Two soldiers are surrounded by a crowd of civilians who admire the soldiers' medals pinned to their breasts.

Usage Rights:

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