An interesting piece of Sino-Soviet history. In the early years of the People’s Republic of China (1949–1950s), Stalin was revered as the leader of the Soviet Union and a major ally of Mao Zedong’s government. Small textile portraits or brocades of Stalin, Lenin, and Marx were common in homes, schools, and work units, alongside Mao portraits. They were also sold or distributed by party organizations. After Stalin’s death (1953) and the Sino-Soviet split (late 1950s–early 1960s), Stalin’s image became less prominent in Chinese propaganda, but older items continued to circulate. Such pieces are now collectible as examples of Cold War-era communist memorabilia.
