The Soviet and Stalinist Works of the Michell Wolfson Jr. Collection

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

hole vs. whole.  Check possessives and general grammar.  Not the most compelling article.  Confusion about Wolfson

Needs copyediting

Author Response

hole vs. whole.  - done

Check possessives and general grammar.  - done

Not the most compelling article.  - improved in the text

Confusion about Wolfson - improved in the text

Reviewer 2 Report

The article provides a good presentation of the Mitchell Wolfson Jr. collection. It is undoubtedly written by an expert in the field. The author places this collection within a historical perspective, highlighting the philosophical questions it raises and potential misunderstandings it may provoke. I had never heard of this collection before, and now I am eager to learn more and, above all, to visit the two locations (Genoa and Miami) where it is exhibited. I believe it will be the case for most readers.

As for the weaknesses, one can certainly criticize the article for focusing on the Soviet part of the collection without engaging in a comparative perspective. I mean : are there in the world other collections of this kind related to the Soviet Union ? The response to this question may have highlighted the uniqueness and/or originality of the "Soviet" part of the Wolfson collection. The authors could have also provided more specific information about the number of items related to the Soviet Union. Furthermore, the bibliography does not include any references to works in Russian (obviously the author does not read Russian) or references to works by specialists of Soviet art (except J. Bowlt). Being not a specialist of the field, I nevertheless think about Igor Golomstock's work.

I notice a minor typo at line 130 : "e" instead of "and".

Author Response

As for the weaknesses, one can certainly criticize the article for focusing on the Soviet part of the collection without engaging in a comparative perspective. I mean : are there in the world other collections of this kind related to the Soviet Union ? - improved in the text

The authors could have also provided more specific information about the number of items related to the Soviet Union. - improved in the text

The authors could have also provided more specific information about the number of items related to the Soviet Union. Furthermore, the bibliography does not include any references to works in Russian (obviously the author does not read Russian) or references to works by specialists of Soviet art (except J. Bowlt). Being not a specialist of the field, I nevertheless think about Igor Golomstock's work. - improved in the text 

Reviewer 3 Report

The author can improve this paper by referring to other academic research of propaganda studies. The collection of Mr. Wolfson Jr. is fascinating. This paper reads like a brief summary of previous exhibitions. If this paper belongs to a special issue devoted to Soviet-era art and design, the author can talk more about the production and the dissemination of both decorative and propaganda arts from the 1880s to the 1950s. There is not much substantial content. Most paragraphs connecting Wolfson's vision as a collector are descriptions, not arguments. 

In recent decades, Communist-era memorabilia and graphic arts have been exhibited throughout the world. MoMA or Met also showed an extensive collection of early 20C-posters from Russia. We need some contextualization of Wolfson's collection in comparison to other collections of the same period/content.

Was Wolfson a collector of Russian avant-garde art? No, he was not. He was both interested in decorative arts of Romantic Nationalism and propaganda art of Stalin-era dictatorship. If so, did he relate himself to the territory and culture of the former USSR? Was his family immigrated from Russia? Was he interested in the persecution of Jewish people under the Soviet Regime? If he was collecting, where did he go to acquire these works? Did he buy from political refugees or activists mainly after 1989? 

As a historian studying history of collecting, I am curious of Wolfson's interaction with dealers, other collectors, and institutions. Once someone starts collecting, it became a psychological drive: difficult to stop. Who were major advisors to Wolfson? Was he fluent in Russian? It would be great if someone creates a multifaceted view of this important collection of soviet-era art and design. 

Why did you not include many other essays on Wolfson Jr. as a collector? For example by Skipwith.

Skipwith, Peyton. "Where art & politics mix: the Wolfsonian in Miami Beach is based on the remarkable collection of art between 1880 and 1945 formed by its founder, Mitchell Wolfson Jr. Peyton Skipwith surveys the range and depth of its outstanding holdings of British art, which encompass paintings, sculpture and all the decorative arts, with a special focus on propaganda." Apollo, vol. 164, no. 534, Aug. 2006, pp. 40+

Margolin, Victor. “Micky Wolfson’s Cabinet of Wonders: From Private Passion to Public Purpose.” Design Issues 13, no. 1 (1997): 67–81. https://doi.org/10.2307/1511588. 

Author Response

Thank you so much for your thorough review that was very useful for improving the article.

Here are some answers, other comments I tried to include in the text.

There is not much substantial content. Most paragraphs connecting Wolfson's vision as a collector are descriptions, not arguments. - improved in the text

Who were major advisors to Wolfson? Was he fluent in Russian?  - improved in the text

Why did you not include many other essays on Wolfson Jr. as a collector? For example by Skipwith. - improved in the text

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

The paper has been supplemented and improved. Thank you. More visual images are very helpful.