Go to banya after working hours
Unknown artist, 1932
Bid them wash their faces,
And keep their teeth clean.
William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Coriolanus
Russians always liked bathing in banyas, which is a traditional Russian steam bath. It is quite similar to Finnish sauna, but not as hot. Usually it has three rooms – a steam room, a washing room and a lounge. In the steam room people not only perspire heavily in hot temperature and high humidity, they also slap each other with tied branches of white birch, which massages the body, increases blood circulation and therefore is quite pleasing.
But banyas were not only about personal hygiene. The lounge place in banyas was usually a club, where men were chatting, drinking light beverages and resting - much like in the Roman Empire. In the Soviet times banyas remained but the quality of bathing services was significantly decreased – now they were mainly about washing oneself.
This poster is a social artwork, which popularizes personal hygiene among the workers. Many of them had arrived from the country and were not familiar with regular washing. Also, working in heavy industry was always a far more dirty occupation than farming.
Get washing artwork at allposters:
4 comments:
I come everyday to see your posters. Such great art work. The goverment must have had the best and the brightest creating these.
Sheri
I come everyday to see your posters.The art work is so interesting. The goverment must have had the best and the brightest creating these.
Sheri
I think it's one of hardcore :) postUSSR posters.
I think it's worth adding that in 1932 modern plumbing and hot running water were still a luxury even in large cities, so the banya was the ONLY place one could clean oneself thoroughly.
And even in large cities of my childhood, going to the banya once a week was a necessity, as running water was often turned off/interrupted.
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