One of the rare works, which is rarely mentioned in our time, is the painting “Admission to the Komsomol”, quite clearly and expressively reflects the course of the Soviet period and the formation of the socialist system at this stage. In the picture of Sergei Grigoriev, written by him in 1949, a solemn action takes place, the responsible acceptance of a young schoolgirl into the Komsomol organization.
On the left flank of the picture is an examination group of young Komsomol leaders, who take turns asking questions about various Komsomol principles and tasks of this movement. Each character in this group expresses their intentions and destinations by traits.
Just now, a senior young Komsomol member asked a difficult question about democratic centralism. To this question, all examiners look forward to a positive answer. The girl is separated from the examiners by a table covered with a red red cloth, which embodies the color of the revolution and the red flag of the country of the Soviets. There is a glass vase with flowers on a plate on the table, emphasizing the solemnity of this event.
To the right of the girl who wants to pass this formidable exam, we see two members who have the status of support for the future Komsomol member: an elderly, and therefore an authoritative man in a military tunic, perhaps he is a war veteran, behind him is a bust of the great Generalissimo Stalin.
In the foreground sits a teacher who bowed her head, preparing a schoolgirl for this exam, with worries she expects the result. In her notebook there are many prepared questions for admission to the Komsomol, she has already checked the girl more than once and previously asked similar questions and patiently hopes for a positive result.
The painting “Admission to the Komsomol” personifies the solemn event of the socialist system and the artist Sergei Grigoriev in this work reveals to the viewer all the pathos of this event. The plot is known to many older comrades who studied at school in the early second half of the 20th century. The picture was well replicated, it was printed in textbooks, postage stamps and on various reproduction school posters.
Year of painting: 1949.
The dimensions of the painting: 143 x 202 cm.
Material: canvas.
Writing technique: oil.
Genre: genre painting.
Style: socialist realism.
Gallery: Museum of Ukrainian Fine Arts, Kiev, Ukraine.