Battleship Potemkin 1925

This is a poster by Alexander Rodchenko, likely made in the 1920s, advertising Sergei Eisenstein's silent film Battleship Potemkin. The film dramatizes a 1905 mutiny aboard a Russian naval vessel. The sailors revolted against their officers' inhumane treatment, which became a symbol of the struggle against autocratic rule. Rodchenko’s stark design, employing constructivist principles, captures the revolutionary fervor of the event and the film itself. Looking at the poster, note how gender and class intersect with the narrative of revolution. The sailors, predominantly working-class men, challenge the power structures of the Tsarist regime. Eisenstein, in his film, aimed to portray the collective experience of the masses rather than focusing on individual heroes. The film, and by extension this poster, sought to galvanize viewers, stirring in them a sense of injustice and a desire for change. It stands as a powerful example of how art can shape historical narratives, reflecting and influencing societal consciousness.