
Only soviet rule can lead working masses to light and enlightenment. [Posted by] the Club Section of the Extramural Department of the Commissariat of Public Education.
[On the building] Soviet Power / knowledge
[Bottom, lower left] Workers of all countries, unite!
Made for the Worker's Club Sections of the People’s Commissariat for Public Education, its printing was carried out in Petrograd (Saint Petersburg) at a time (likely in 1918) when unification of educational institutions was carried out.
The artist's name on the poster is not indicated. By assigning Artist Unknown to a poster it also could mean the artist used a chop mark whereby no signature is seen thus rendering the artist's identity anonymous.
It is likely that this printer was the 2nd State Typography at 8 Griaznaia Street, St. Petersburg. Griaznaia (meaning dirty in Russian) characterized the industrialization of the neighborhood. The 2nd State Typography was the Wefers and Company Lithographic Plant prior to Soviet nationalization.
The People's Commissariat for Education (Narkompros) was formed in 1918 and it encompassed the former Imperial Ministry of Public Education, the State Education Committee, and the former Palace Ministry (an entity that managed theaters, the Academy of Arts and the royal palaces). Overseeing Narkompros was the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK). As the main educational branch of the government, Narkompros carried out a compliment of programs such as the combating of illiteracy, professional education, adult education, and increasing public arts through its Proletkult (proletarskaya kultura) division. In 1922, state censorship was regulated via the office of Glavlit (Main Administration for Literature and Publishing of the People's Commissariat for Education)-- the censorship authority over Narkompros. Referred to as "control"; all publishing, live performances and public speeches were scrutinized by Narkompros editorial boards for potential security risks. Anatoli Lunacharskii, an art critic, author and journalist, headed Narkompros until 1929. In 1946, Narkompros was re-organized as the Ministry of Education.