Digital Edition – 1980 Soviet Olympic Poster – “Best Wishes!” – Misha the Bear – Artist Victor Chizhikov – Trilingual Edition

A high-resolution digital edition of one of the most iconic images of the 1980 Moscow Olympics — Misha the Bear extending a joyful greeting in three languages: «ЖЕЛАЮ УСПЕХА!» / “BEST WISHES!” / “BONNE CHANCE!” Download instantly and print at your preferred size and paper stock.

Designed by Victor Chizhikov — one of the USSR’s most celebrated children’s book illustrators — after a nationwide competition that drew over 45,000 public letters and 60 commissioned graphic versions, Misha was conceived as a “cuddly ambassador”: a deliberate departure from the imposing Russian bear, designed to project peace and friendship at a moment of acute Cold War tension. Despite the largest boycott in Olympic history — 65 nations, led by the United States, refused to attend — Misha became the first Olympic mascot to achieve massive global commercial success. The closing ceremony image of Misha floating away over Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, a tear on his cheek, remains one of the most emotionally resonant moments in Olympic history.

Publication Details
Artist: Victor Chizhikov (Виктор Чижиков)
Original year: 1980
Original publisher: Plakat Publishing House, Moscow
Text: «ЖЕЛАЮ УСПЕХА!» / “BEST WISHES!” / “BONNE CHANCE!”
Occasion: XXII Summer Olympics, Moscow 1980
Origin: USSR (Soviet Union)
Original size: 48 × 66 cm (18.9 × 26.0 in)

What You Receive
1 high-resolution JPEG file
Print-ready at 300 DPI
Sized for printing at 18 × 24 in
Instant download after purchase
Personal use licence included

File Details
Format: JPEG
Resolution: 300 DPI
Print size: 18 × 24 in
Licence: Personal use only. Commercial reproduction, resale, or redistribution is strictly prohibited.

Want a physical copy? View the framed reproduction here → or the unframed reproduction here →
Want the original vintage poster? View the original here →