| Doctrine
and Art: A Connection that the Communists Understand
By Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira
When Stalin died, the Communist painter Picasso
made a portrait of him that we reproduce here. “L’
Humanite, the Red daily of Paris, published his painting.
However, Moscow condemned it. This was because the Communist
canons of art hold that a portrait must look like a photograph
as much as possible. Interpretations expressing a subjectivistic
and individualistic mentality are deemed incompatible with
socialist collectivism. In fact, Picasso's portrayal of Stalin’s
face is very subjective. A much more realistic portrayal can
be seen in the photograph taken of him in Tehran in 1943,
alongside Roosevelt. One would say that Stalin looks like
a doorman of a hotel all decked out in his new uniform, proud
to enjoy some fresh air for a few minutes alongside a distinguished
guest who consented to converse with him a little.
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The Communists understand the fact that any
vast system of philosophical, social and economic ideas necessarily
must also give its characteristic stamp to art. This can be
good or evil depending on whether the system is true or false.
Thus, collectivism must produce its own particular kind of
art.
In our commentary on “Ambiences,
Customs and Civilizations,"”we have sought to
apply this same principle to Catholicism. By the simple
fact that we are Catholics, our art cannot be that reflecting
Communism or Western neopaganism. Nonetheless our commentary
emphasizing this fact through examples often encounters,
along with so much applause, much resistance by those who
are deformed by liberalism. May the consistency of our adversaries
be a lesson for them.
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