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Mikhail Cheremnykh
Circa 1920 ROSTA Window Poster by M. Cheremnykh – If You Keep Yawning

Circa 1920

$3,198.47
£2,381.09
€3,360VAT Included
CA$4,490.92
A$4,635.69
CHF 2,612.90
MX$59,975.05
NOK 29,810.38
SEK 31,448.64
DKK 21,346.79

About the Item

This original circa 1920 poster by Mikhail Cheremnykh belongs to the legendary ROSTA Windows (Okna ROSTA) series, one of the most innovative achievements of the Russian avant-garde and early Soviet graphic design. Numbered 5, the work forms part of a larger narrative sequence typical of the ROSTA format. The caption begins with the phrase “If You Keep Yawning…”, introducing a warning or moral lesson that would have continued in the following panels. Like many ROSTA narratives, the image combines humor, caricature, and social commentary to engage viewers through a simple yet effective visual story. The composition depicts a slouching figure seated on a stool, his posture expressing indifference, laziness, or inattentiveness. Above him appears a vivid red silhouette pointing accusingly toward the character, emphasizing the didactic tone of the narrative. The contrast between the passive figure and the dynamic gesture creates an immediate visual tension, drawing the viewer into the unfolding story. Created during the years following the Russian Revolution, the ROSTA Windows were designed as a form of mass communication accessible to the broadest possible audience. Produced by the Russian Telegraph Agency (ROSTA), these posters appeared in public windows, railway stations, factories, and city streets, where they delivered political messages, social instruction, and current events through concise texts and striking imagery. Mikhail Cheremnykh (1890–1962) was one of the principal architects of the movement. Together with poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and other avant-garde artists, he helped create a new visual language based on bold silhouettes, simplified forms, bright colors, and direct slogans. Their work transformed the poster into an instrument of immediate public communication and helped define the visual culture of revolutionary Russia. The poster demonstrates the distinctive aesthetic that made the ROSTA Windows so influential. The figure is reduced to a handful of essential shapes, while expressive posture and gesture convey character more effectively than detailed realism. The limited palette of black, red, and ochre reflects the practical constraints of stencil production while enhancing the visual impact of the composition. Most ROSTA posters were produced rapidly using hand-cut stencil techniques, enabling artists to respond quickly to political and social developments. Because these works were intended for temporary display and frequently discarded after use, surviving originals are exceptionally rare today. Beyond their historical significance, ROSTA Windows occupy a central place in the development of modern graphic design. Their bold visual economy, integration of text and image, and sequential storytelling anticipated later developments in advertising, comic art, political graphics, and public information campaigns throughout the twentieth century. As part of a larger satirical narrative, “If You Keep Yawning…” captures the lively, theatrical spirit of the ROSTA Windows. The work reflects the movement’s ability to transform simple visual forms into powerful tools of persuasion, education, and entertainment. Today, original examples by Mikhail Cheremnykh are highly prized by collectors and institutions alike, valued both as rare survivors of revolutionary visual culture and as landmark works in the history of modern graphic art. This circa 1920 poster stands as an outstanding example of the creativity, immediacy, and enduring influence of the ROSTA Windows movement. Original Poster Propaganda - Russia
  • Creator:
    Mikhail Cheremnykh
  • Creation Year:
    Circa 1920
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 19.69 in (50 cm)Width: 14.18 in (36 cm)
  • Medium:
    Linen,Paper,Lithograph
  • Period:
    1920-1929
  • Condition:
    Good condition, on linen.
  • Gallery Location:
    PARIS, FR
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1792218116182

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