Soviet 1930s through the lens of a U.S. female photographer

Oct 11 2020

Russia Beyond

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

The legendary Margaret Bourke-White was the first US photographer to visit the USSR in the 1930s. Her shots opened the West’s eyes to the new country, including not only large industrial behemoths, but scenes of everyday life. The result was a vivid and voluminous portrait of the early USSR.

Naturally, Margaret began her odyssey in the capital of the Soviet state, Moscow. There, she photographed life under the Bolsheviks, and took a peep behind the scenes of the Bolshoi Theater.

Children's hospital in Moscow. Waiting in line

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

Nursery for children of Bolshevik officials. The automobile plant AMO (Automobile Moscow Society, the future ZIL)

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

Tram conductor in Moscow

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

At the circus

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

Moscow ballet school

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

Marina Semyonova, prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

Margaret was also interested in village life, creating a series of colorful shots from the Soviet outback.

Soviet serenade

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

Rural school

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

Borsch

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

Ukrainian steppe

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

The photographer also visited Stalin's homeland, Georgia, and took some unique portraits of his mother and grandmother.

Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

Ekaterina Dzhugashvili, mother of Joseph Stalin

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

Joseph Stalin's great aunt

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

On the edge of Asia. Magnitnaya village

Margaret Bourke-White/MAMM/MDF/russiainphoto.ru

She also went to factories, observed the construction of the Dnieper hydroelectric power station, and visited the Urals, taking some incredible shots of Soviet industrialization. Margaret's photos of factories and construction sites, and heartfelt portraits of workers, later earned her fame back home in the U.S.