Fire Safety, Soviet Propaganda

This Soviet fire safety poster from 1969 warns of the devastating consequences of careless smoking. Published by the state NEDRA publishing house in Moscow, it was created as part of the USSR’s extensive public safety campaigns, which used bold graphic imagery to educate citizens about fire prevention in homes, workplaces and public buildings. The design turns a simple mistake into an immediate visual equation. A discarded cigarette at the bottom of the composition grows into a sweeping column of coral-red flames that engulfs an apartment building above. The message translates to “Carelessness with Fire is the Cause of Fire,” reinforcing the direct relationship between individual behavior and potentially catastrophic consequences. The modern apartment block is rendered without identifying details, making it representative of the standardized residential buildings that had become a familiar part of Soviet urban life. Any viewer could recognize their own home or neighborhood in the image, giving the warning a particularly personal quality. Credited to E. E. Musiyenko as author and V. I. Bisin as artist, the poster demonstrates the collaborative structure behind Soviet public-information graphics. Its dramatic diagonal composition, restrained palette and simplified architecture turn a practical fire-prevention message into a memorable example of late-1960s Soviet graphic design. Size: 22.75" x 16.75" Condition: Very Good, Age-appropriate wear, fading and toning. Diagonal fold in upper left corner. General border wear. Soft horizontal crease in upper 1/3 of graphic. Crease under right and above center of cigarette. Please use the photo zoom feature to get a better understanding of overall condition. *Additional photos available upon request.