22 Russians Who We Won’t Let Vladimir Putin Forget Were Gay

From:  Advocate

 After the Battle, 1944

 Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Deineka 

1899 – 1969

Deineka was a Soviet Russian painter, graphic artist, and sculptor, regarded as one of the most important Russian modernist figurative painters of the first half of the 20th century. Gay? Bisexual? Who is to say? We include his art here for its idealistic view of the male athletic form, and as an homage to the athletes that intend to compete in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

Deineka was born in Kursk to a railroader family. He was educated at Kharkov Art College. His youth was spent — as was many of his contemporaries — devoted to events around the revolution. In 1918 he worked as the photographer in Criminal Investigation Department, managed a section of the Art of Regional Educational Department, designed campaigns, and became involved in the defense of Kursk. In 1919-1920, Deineka was in the army where he managed an art studio in Kursk Political Department.