Shame on receiving a salary in a black box office! (Babichenko D.) Soviet Posters (1917-1941)

The composition presents a stark visual commentary on economic practices. A predominantly dark palette dominates, with shades of black and deep red creating a sense of foreboding and moral condemnation. The upper portion features a stylized word rendered in flowing script, seemingly signifying Shame or a similar denouncing term. Below this, bold Cyrillic lettering proclaims “To Those Receiving Salaries,” immediately establishing the subject matter.
The central focus is drawn to an anthropomorphic bottle – a caricature of a personification – depicted with a distressed expression and wearing what appears to be a cashier’s uniform. The label on the bottle reads Касса (Kassa), directly translating to “Cashier” or “Box Office.” This figure, positioned somewhat awkwardly, seems to embody the system being criticized.
A procession of silhouetted figures descends from the upper left corner towards the right side of the image. These individuals are rendered as dark shapes, obscuring their identities and suggesting a mass movement or collective experience. They appear to be emerging from, or drawn into, the bottle-figure, implying that they are complicit in, or victims of, the system it represents.
On the far right, two figures dressed in what appears to be official attire – perhaps representing authority or oversight – stand observing the procession. Their presence suggests a degree of control or perhaps even indifference towards the unfolding situation. The stark contrast between their light-colored uniforms and the dark silhouettes reinforces a sense of separation and power dynamics.
The lower portion reiterates the central theme with the phrase “In the Black Box Office!” This emphasizes the secrecy and perceived corruption associated with the payment system being depicted.
Subtly, the artist employs visual metaphors to convey a message of moral outrage. The bottle-figure’s distressed expression and the descending procession suggest exploitation and shame. The use of silhouettes creates an atmosphere of anonymity and collective responsibility. The overall effect is one of social critique, likely aimed at exposing perceived injustices within a specific economic context.