Top of page

Photo, Print, Drawing "Death Valley." The Battle of Mykhaylivka Village.

About this Item

Title

  • "Death Valley." The Battle of Mykhaylivka Village.

Summary

  • This print showing a battle at the village of Mykhaylivka where the Russians defeated the Austrians is from the collection of World War I lubok posters held at the British Library. The caption explains: "Under a torrent of Austrian shrapnel and machine guns, our offensive columns quickly gained advanced positions and forced the enemy units into the ravine. Meanwhile our defensive columns were able to reach the opposite hills, and then enclose the enemy division pushed into the ravine. After a few well-aimed shots from the Russian batteries, the enemy, realizing the hopelessness of any resistance, decided to surrender. The whole battle, which began at five a.m., was finished by three p.m. Thousands of Austrians surrendered, with cannons, machine guns, and plenty of booty from the nearby area. A tragic episode occurred during the surrender. An Austrian general, the commander of a division, seeing how Austrian flags were passed to our units, quickly took his revolver from its holster and shot himself. The valley, where the Austrian division surrendered (about 15,000 people), was named the 'Valley of Death.'" In this print, the events of this battle have been condensed into one image. As the battle still rages, the surrendered Austrian banner can be seen under the arm of the Russian soldier in the foreground. Meanwhile, on the left, the Austrian general is seen with his revolver to his head. Lubok is a Russian word for popular prints created from woodcuts, engravings, etchings, or later, by using lithography. The prints were often characterized by simple, colorful graphics depicting a narrative, and could also include text. Lubok gained popularity in Russia beginning in the late 17th century. The prints, which often depicted narratives from a historical event, literature, or a religious tale, were used to make such stories accessible to illiterate people. These expressive prints had a wide range in tone, from humorous to instructive to sharp political and social commentary. The images were clear and easy to understand, and some of the pictures were serialized, predecessors of the modern comic strip. Prints could be reproduced inexpensively, and were thus a way for the masses to display art at home. Initially, this artistic style was not taken seriously by the upper classes, but by the end of the 19th century, lubok was so well-regarded that it inspired professional artists. During World War I, lubok informed Russians about events on the frontlines, bolstered morale, and served as propaganda against enemy combatants.

Names

  • Fialkovskii, S. Y. Artist.

Created / Published

  • Odessa : F. Shauer and V. Smrkovskii Lithography, [1914-08 to 1914-09]

Headings

  • -  Austria
  • -  Russian Federation
  • -  Ukraine--L'viv Oblast--Mykhaylivka
  • -  1914-08 to 1914-09
  • -  Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Army
  • -  Battles
  • -  Lubok (Narrative art prints)
  • -  Russia. Army
  • -  Soldiers
  • -  War posters
  • -  World War, 1914-1918

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource at: The British Library.
  • -  Content in Russian.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Source Collection

  • World War I

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021669135

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse. Researchers are encouraged to review the source information attached to each item. For information on contacting WDL partner organizations, see this archived list of partners

The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

For additional information and contact information for many of the partner organizations, see this archived capture of the World Digital Library site from 2021.

For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Fialkovskii, S. Y. Artist. "Death Valley." The Battle of Mykhaylivka Village. Russian Federation L'viv Oblast Austria Ukraine Mykhaylivka, 1914. [Odessa: F. Shauer and V. Smrkovskii Lithography, -08 to -09] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021669135/.

APA citation style:

Fialkovskii, S. Y. A. (1914) "Death Valley." The Battle of Mykhaylivka Village. Russian Federation L'viv Oblast Austria Ukraine Mykhaylivka, 1914. [Odessa: F. Shauer and V. Smrkovskii Lithography, -08 to -09] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021669135/.

MLA citation style:

Fialkovskii, S. Y. Artist. "Death Valley." The Battle of Mykhaylivka Village. [Odessa: F. Shauer and V. Smrkovskii Lithography, -08 to -09] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021669135/>.