Original 1986 Soviet Poster – Artists Belsky & Potapov – 'Glory to the Motherland!' – Flags of All 15 Republics

This is an original 1986 Soviet silkscreen poster, produced during the early years of Perestroika — a moment when Soviet visual culture was beginning to shift, but the grand patriotic vocabulary of the Brezhnev era was still very much alive. Designed by the collaborative duo L. Belsky and V. Potapov (Л. Бельский, В. Потапов), it was published to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of the USSR.

The composition is dense and ceremonial: at its centre, the hammer and sickle is set against a soaring space rocket — the USSR’s most potent symbol of industrial and scientific achievement. Surrounding this core are the flags of all 15 constituent Soviet republics, arranged to project unity across the breadth of the Union. The founding year “1922” anchors the design historically, while the bold red text at the bottom — СЛАВЬСЯ, ОТЕЧЕСТВО! — draws directly from the Soviet national anthem.

What makes this piece particularly compelling to collectors is its timing. Published in 1986 under Gorbachev, it sits at a hinge point in Soviet history — still projecting the confident imagery of a unified superpower, just years before that union would dissolve. The emphasis on the individual republic flags, including the Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Baltic SSRs, takes on a different resonance in retrospect.

Text on poster: СЛАВЬСЯ, ОТЕЧЕСТВО! — “Glory to the Fatherland!” (a line from the Soviet national anthem)

Authenticity

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

Artists: L. Belsky & V. Potapov (Л. Бельский, В. Потапов)
Year: 1986
Occasion: 65th anniversary of the USSR (1922–1987)
Technique: Silkscreen
Style: Late Soviet / Perestroika era
Size: 55 × 43 cm (21.7 × 16.9 in)
Medium: Silkscreen on paper

Condition

Overall: Good (Vintage Grade)

Wear: Several small pinholes and light creasing — consistent with a poster that was publicly displayed.

Details: Colours and imagery remain clear and legible. Paper intact with no tears or losses.

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.