The Commissar Vanishes

The Commissar Vanishes

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By David King
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Item code: 15415

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This brand new edition of David King’s lauded visual history is a unique and brilliant study into the doctoring and propogandising of Soviet photographs by Stalin’s regime. From the creator of the award-winning ‘Red Star Over Russia’

'The Commissar Vanishes' offers a chilling look at how Joseph Stalin manipulated the science of photography to advance his own political career and to erase the memory of his victims.

On Stalin’s orders, purged rivals were airbrushed from group portraits, and crowd scenes were altered to depict even greater legions of the faithful. For example, a 1919 photograph showing a large crowd of Bolsheviks clustered around Lenin, became, with the aid of the retoucher, an intimate portrait of Lenin and Stalin sitting alone, and then, in a later version, of Stalin by himself.

In each case, the juxtaposition of the original and the doctored images yields a fascinating, terrifying and tragic insight into one of the darkest chapters of modern history.
  • Dimensions 29.5 x 25 cm
  • Author David King
  • ISBN 9781849762519
  • Paperback Yes
  • Number of illustrations 200 colour
  • Publisher Tate Publishing
  • No of pages 192 pp
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  • International (excluding EU) – 2-4 weeks

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Please note that some items are dispatched separately if they are made to order (such as coffee, custom prints and custom print clothing, neon lights or furniture). This means that if you order these items alongside other shop products, they won’t all arrive together, and you’ll get several deliveries.

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Delivery costs

We currently offer free standard delivery on UK orders over £60. Our other delivery costs are as follows.

For orders under £60:

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Rest of world ((excluding EU) – £28 per order

From 13 December 2024, we will be temporarily pausing shipping to the European Union and Northern Ireland, to update our details to comply with new EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). We will restart shipping to the EU and NI as soon as possible, thank you for your patience.

Here’s more information on delivery.

 

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If you are not completely happy with your order, you can return any items to us, free of charge within 60 days of purchase, and we will be happy to offer you a full refund, replacement or exchange on any items excluding custom prints, furniture and pierced earrings. 

For any queries, you can contact our customer service team via shop@tate.org.uk

Here’s more information on refunds & returns.

Delivery & returns

Delivery times

We aim to deliver stocked shop products within:

  • UK – 2-3 working days
  • International (excluding EU) – 2-4 weeks

For made-to-order items, including framed custom prints, furniture, lighting and rugs, we aim to deliver within:

  • UK – 1-2 weeks
  • International (excluding EU) – 2-4 weeks

Please note that some items are dispatched separately if they are made to order (such as coffee, custom prints and custom print clothing, neon lights or furniture). This means that if you order these items alongside other shop products, they won’t all arrive together, and you’ll get several deliveries.

If the delivery time frame for each item has ended and you’re still waiting for something from your order, please get in touch and we’ll investigate for you.

 

Delivery costs

We currently offer free standard delivery on UK orders over £60. Our other delivery costs are as follows.

For orders under £60:

UK – £5 per order

Rest of world ((excluding EU) – £28 per order

From 13 December 2024, we will be temporarily pausing shipping to the European Union and Northern Ireland, to update our details to comply with new EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). We will restart shipping to the EU and NI as soon as possible, thank you for your patience.

Here’s more information on delivery.

 

Refunds & returns

If you are not completely happy with your order, you can return any items to us, free of charge within 60 days of purchase, and we will be happy to offer you a full refund, replacement or exchange on any items excluding custom prints, furniture and pierced earrings. 

For any queries, you can contact our customer service team via shop@tate.org.uk

Here’s more information on refunds & returns.