Editing Russian Revolution (section)

== Symbolism ==
[[File:Vladimir_Lenin_1_May_1920_by_Isaak_Brodsky.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Soviet painting]] ''Vladimir Lenin'', by [[Isaak Brodsky|Isaac Brodsky]]]]

The Russian Revolution became the site for many instances of [[symbolism (arts)|symbolism]], both physical and non-physical. [[Communist symbolism]] is perhaps the most notable of this time period, such as the debut of the iconic [[hammer and sickle]] as a representation of the October Revolution in 1917, eventually becoming the official symbol of the USSR in 1924, and later the symbol of Communism as a whole. Although the Bolsheviks did not have extensive political experience, their portrayal of the revolution itself as both a political and symbolic order resulted in Communism's portrayal as a [[Messianism|messianic]] faith, formally known as communist messianism.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Wydra |first=Harald |date=September 2012 |title=The Power of Symbols—Communism and Beyond |journal=International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society |volume=25 |issue=1–3 |pages=49–69 |doi=10.1007/s10767-011-9116-x |issn=0891-4486 |s2cid=145251624}}</ref> Portrayals of notable revolutionary figures such as Lenin were done in iconographic methods, equating them similarly to religious figures, though religion itself was banned in the USSR and groups such as the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] were persecuted.<ref name=":1"/>