Chapter 1 has examples of socialist realist art: painting, graphic art, and decorative art from the 1930 to the 1950s (70). Chapter 2 publishes works of paitning and sculpture of the 1970s and 80s most of which were purchased by the Minister of Culture from exhibitions of contemporary art (59). Chapter 3 presents works of Russian folk art made from the 1960s to the 1980s: e.g. lacquer painting (Palekh, Mstera), painted trays (Zhostovo), ceramics (Gzhel'), toys (Bogorodskoe Selo) (50). Since no specific collecting criteria or single-minded collector purchased the works, they amount to a varied anthology of art of the Soviet period. Directions and schools can be identified, but in general the collection is valuable because it forms the context in which many different groups were working. -- Summary written by John W. Emerich, Bronze Horseman Literary Agency.