The commune's fish pond
Publisher: People's Fine Arts Publishing House
(Offset, 53x77 cm., inv.nr. BG E11/987)

The miraculous draught of fishes in a Chinese fish pond. The agricultural commune is represented as a source of abundance.
This poster is a reproduction of one of the most famous paintings by the Huxian peasant painters, so-called amateurs from the Huxian region. Throughout the 1970s, these painters were put forward as clear manifestations of 'the innate creative genius of the masses'. Their paintings were exhibited successfully both in China and abroad. The propaganda stories about the Huxian peasant painters were repeated uncritically in Western Europe and North America, and even held up as shining examples to the 'degenerate Western art world'. Many years later, the obvious fact that these amateurs received extensive help from professional artists was officially admitted. Sometimes, sections of amateur paintings were repainted by 'painting correction groups'. In spite of all this, works like these have great visual charm.

A full colour postcard reproduction of this poster is available. See the postcard reproductions-page on this site.