The Brunnier Art Museum is bringing Iowa to the forefront of the art world by being the first museum in the state to host and exhibit paintings by Soviet realist and impressionist artists.

“From Russian Easels: Socialist realist and impressionist paintings” is currently on display in the Brunnier Art Museum.

Most of the 70 oil paintings in the exhibit are on loan through Jan. 4.

The exhibition was brought to the attention of the University Museums by Susan Russo, a former ISU lecturer and guest curator for the exhibit.

Her knowledge of the university and its educational mission prompted her to suggest a Russian art exhibit.

The art is primarily from the Russian Museum of Art in Bloomington, Minn., founded by Ray and Susan Johnson.

There are also a few pieces from anonymous private collectors. About 40 artists represented in this show.

“This type of artwork just hasn’t been seen too extensively outside of Russia, so this is a great opportunity,” says Lynette Pohlman, director and chief curator of the University Museums. “It’s very seldom that the paintings have been shown during the Soviet era.”

The subjects of the paintings are very broad and include portraits, landscapes and still life.

Some are politically inspired, like “Stalin at the 18th Party Congress, 1935” by Aleksandr Mikhailovich Gerasimov. The work consumes nearly the entire wall from floor to ceiling.

“You see a lot of paintings in there that look like 19th century French European paintings but that were actually done in 1955,” Pohlman says. “Stylistically, the painters were drawing on the academies of the West when they were looking at how to paint.

“I think it’s kind of fun to go in there and look around you’ll find a Grant-Wood inspired painting or you can see Monet’s haystacks.”

There is also a selection of Russian jeweled enamels displayed in the center of the gallery. About 50 percent of the enamels are from Brunnier’s permanent collection. The others are on loan from Burt Drexler, former theater professor.

“From Russian Easels: Socialist realist and impressionist paintings” took three and a half years to put together, Pohlman says.

“It came about as all of our exhibitions do — making sure that we had academic partners,” Pohlman says. “Every show needs to have at least four integrative learning opportunities for students at Iowa State.

“We’re anxious to have partnerships — in this case, history and political science.”

The museum also supplements its exhibits with programs and workshops, designed to enhance understanding of the paintings, Pohlman says.

“I think to view exhibitions and works of art and understand the layers of what goes beyond just seeing something beautiful or ugly is important,” she says. “It’s not just enough to put it up on the walls. We really want to have students be engaged intellectually as well as emotionally in these works.”