Russian nationalist art villainized Poles and Tatars while theatre spread antisemitic jokes

Evidence

For early nineteenth-century Russian painters looking for Russian national themes of glory and heroism, Catholic Poles and Muslim Tatars had made the most appealing villains. Yet Jews also became part of this world, especially for artists who tried to connect with the lower orders of Russia’s starkly hierarchical society. Provincial theatre was one such venue that bridged the empire’s social divides, and theatre troupes sometimes staged plays with antisemitic and anti-Jewish jokes. — James Renton, Ben Gidley (eds.), Antisemitism and Islamophobia in Europe, 538

Categorization

• XREF: Complements the author’s ‘Complaints About Immodesty’ article in that both track how prejudice is transmitted through performance and popular culture venues.