Geroicheskaia Epopeia

1935. TELINGATER, Solomon. Geroicheskaia Epopeia. By L. Mekhlis, I. Verite, I. Bogovy and I. Baevsky. 158 pp., profusely illustrated. Folio, 343 x 255 mm., bound in publisher's decorated cloth preserved in a silver cloth folding box. Moscow: Pravda, 1935. Designed by Solomon Telingater, this is one of the most important Soviet photobooks. It celebrates the Arctic voyage of the icebreaker Chelyushin, which became stuck in the ice in early 1934. The eventual rescue of the majority of the crew was hailed as a major achievement and used for propaganda purposes. The book is an elaborate production using photographs, reproductions of paintings and memorabilia. There are hand-coloured plates and extensive use of collage and photomontage. There are even two miniature flags included with the book. "Amongst the grandest Soviet photobooks, the monumental Heroic Epic celebrates one of the most glorified events in 1930s Stalinist Russia -- the epic Arctic voyage of the icebreaking ship Chelyuskin. This tale of exploration was mythologized as much as the British expeditions of Shackleton and Scott" (The Photobook). A fine copy of a magnificent and scarce book. Karasik and Heiting, The Soviet Photobook 1920-1940, p.352-357. Parr. The Photobook Vol. 1, 164. (Inventory #: 169727)