Original 1980 Moscow Olympics Poster – 'Let Peace Triumph' – Artist A. Merkushev – Plakat

This is an original 1980 Soviet poster, published in Moscow by Plakat — the USSR’s principal state poster publisher — as part of the official visual programme for the Games of the XXII Olympiad. Designed by Anatoly Fyodorovich Merkushev, a celebrated Soviet poster artist from Penza, it is one of the more quietly powerful pieces from the Moscow Games series. The composition is deliberately minimal: a white dove in flight against a deep blue gradient, with a detailed gold Olympic medal suspended at the centre. Above it, in clean Cyrillic lettering — ПУСТЬ ПОБЕДИТ МИР, “Let Peace Triumph” — the image is framed with the idealism that defined the Soviet Olympic project. The 1980 Moscow Games were a landmark moment in Cold War history — grand in scale, politically charged, and marked by the famous Western boycott. Original promotional materials from this era, particularly those with this level of graphic restraint and symbolic clarity, are increasingly sought after by collectors of both Olympic memorabilia and Soviet graphic art. What makes this copy particularly appealing is the colour. For a poster of this age, the vibrancy is exceptional — the blue gradient and gold medal retain a crispness that photographs well and displays beautifully.

Authenticity

100% Guaranteed Original Vintage Poster — not a modern reprint or reproduction.

Artist: Anatoly Fyodorovich Merkushev (A. Merkushev), Penza
Year: 1980
Publisher: Plakat, Moscow
Occasion: XXII Summer Olympics, Moscow 1980
Style: Soviet Modernism
Size: 42 × 65 cm (16.5 × 25.6 in)
Medium: Offset lithograph on paper

Condition

Overall: Very Good (Vintage Grade)

Wear: Slight edge wear and minor creases. No pinholes.

Details: Colours — particularly the deep blue gradient and gold medal — remain remarkably bright and vivid for a 40+ year-old piece.

This is an authentic vintage item. Please review the high-resolution photographs for a full and accurate representation. What you see is what you receive.

Shipping & Packaging

We handle historic paper with the utmost care to ensure it arrives immaculate.

Handling: Dispatched within 1–3 business days from our Sarajevo studio
Packaging: Rolled in acid-free tissue paper and shipped in a heavy-duty reinforced mailing tube — no folding, no creasing, no edge damage
Tracking: Fully tracked from our studio to your door
Standard delivery: Registered post (BH Pošta), arriving in 1–4 weeks
Express delivery: DHL Express available at checkout — delivery in 2–5 business days

International buyers are responsible for any applicable customs fees or import taxes.

Framing

Professional custom framing is available for this piece upon request. Contact us before checkout to discuss options and tailored pricing.

Want this design as a modern fine art print? View the framed reproduction here → or the unframed reproduction here →
Prefer an instant digital download? View the digital edition here →
Wear the archive — Men’s Boxy Tee → and Unisex Organic Ribbed Tee →