This presentation examines the role of encyclopaedias published in totalitarian and authoritarian societies in creating so-called minor histories, i.e. the histories of literature, art and music. The primary source material is Soviet encyclopaedias, with a particular focus on those published in the peripheral Soviet republics, such as the Baltic states and Ukraine. It is generally accepted that the primary function of an encyclopedia is to present information in a neutral manner. However, in societies with a clearly defined ideological stance, this objective is invariably subject to transformation.
The objective of this presentation is to examine:
- the ways in which knowledge is presented in Soviet encyclopaedias;
- how articles on art history in Soviet encyclopaedias relate to the development of art history during the same period.
Using the Estonian Soviet Encyclopedia as a case study, the presentation analyses art history chapters and their accompanying illustrative material. These are then compared with the Estonian encyclopaedia published during the interwar period, as well as with encyclopaedias published in exile by the Baltic communities after the Second World War.
Concurrently with the publication of the Estonian Soviet Encyclopedia, multi-volume compendiums of Estonian literature and art were being compiled. The problems related to the production of these works and their interrelations can clearly be traced on the basis of archival materials. From this extensive material, the presentation will focus primarily on questions related to the selection of visual material.