Bowlers and High Collars

“There’s no grandfatherly fondness in me, There are no gray hairs in my soul! Shaking the world with my voice and grinning, I pass you by, - handsome, Twentytwoyearold.”

Extract from A Cloud in Trousers.

Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893-1930).

Scene from 1927 Russian film Bed and Sofa.

“I don’t like people who have never fallen or stumbled. Their virtue is lifeless and it isn’t of much value. Life hasn’t revealed its beauty to them.”

Painting and quote of Russian poet Boris Pasternak (1890-1960).

Russian poet Sergei Yesenin at 18. 1913.

Alexander Ostuzhev (1874-1953)

A Russian stage actor known for his great voice, he lost his hearing at 36 from Ménière’s Disease. His career could have ended then but undeterred he pushed on, learning every part of each play to lip-read his fellow actors, and devising cues with them, invisible to the audience. As a result, he earned critical acclaim up until his death.

Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968)

Soviet pilot, and the first man to go into outer space. Yuri died in a jet crash in March 68’. He had just turned 34.

Georgy Zhukov (1896-1974)

Georgy Zhukov was a career officer in the Red Army of the Soviet Union who led the campaign in World War II that liberated much of Eastern Europe from occupation by Axis Powers, and that ultimately conquered Berlin. He was the most decorated general officer in the history of the Soviet Union and Russia.

Here as a young man in the 1910s.

Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov (1926-1998)

Singlehandedly prevented the onset of a nuclear conflict by disobeying orders to torpedo nuclear warheads at the US Navy.

Russian actor Vladimir Ivashov (1939-1994)

Photo taken in 1962.

Another portrait of Russian dancer Vaslav Nijinsky of Polish descent (1889-1950). As talented as Vaslav was, he suffered a mental illness we today would think is schizophrenia. He spent much of his life in mental asylums and was rumored to be homosexual too. His daughter suffered mental breakdowns as well. In his later life, after a period of not talking at all he befriended a few and started dancing in front of them, awing them. Encouraged by them he started talking again .

(via WWII soviet army soldier in tree)

(via Four Americans in Russia)

Of the Polar Bear Expedition. American Infantry soldiers in Russia circa 1918.