Vintage Original B&W Photo, the World Leaders at the Yalta Conference in 1945 by Vsevolod Sergeyevich Tarasevich

During World War Two, on February 4–11, 1945, a Russian vacation town in the Crimea hosted the Yalta Conference. Significant decisions on the course of the war and the postwar world were taken in Yalta by Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and American President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Though they were less certain that the Pacific War was coming to a conclusion, the Allied commanders arrived in Yalta believing that an Allied triumph in Europe was all but certain. Understanding that defeating Japan could need a drawn-out battle, the United States and Great Britain perceived a significant strategic benefit from Soviet involvement in the Pacific theater. The terms under which the Soviet Union would join the war against Japan were discussed by Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin at Yalta. All three men agreed that the Soviets would receive a sphere of influence in Manchuria after Japan surrendered in exchange for their potentially important participation in the Pacific theater. The leaders of the Allies also talked on the UN, Germany, and Eastern Europe’s futures. Along with agreeing to let France participate in Germany’s postwar governance, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin also decided that Germany should bear some, but not all, of the burden of postwar reparations. While the Soviets promised to permit democratic elections in all areas freed from Nazi Germany, the Americans and the British generally agreed that the governments of the Eastern European countries bordering the Soviet Union should be “friendly” to the Soviet authority. A statement on Poland was also issued by the negotiators, which allowed for the participation of Communists in the postwar national government.

• Size: 60×44.5cm
• Year: 1945
• Archives of the U.R.S.S. Association in Paris
• Official Stamp

Condition: Good, a strikingly clear and well-composed photo that bears the marks of its history. Each corner features pinholes, reminiscent of its past display. Subtle dents and small chips on the top left add character, while a strikingly severe crease along the bottom right side tells a story of resilience. Numerous other dents are scattered across the image, testaments to its enduring beauty through the test of time.

The photographer associated with Agence Novosti Presse is Vsevolod Sergeyevich Tarasevich (1919–1998). He was a renowned master of Soviet journalism known for his contributions to photography. Tarasevich began his career as a student photographer and later became a photo correspondent during World War II. In the 1960s, he joined the newly-founded Novosti Press Agency (APN) and received recognition, including the World Press Photo Prize in 1963. He continued his career in photojournalism, becoming the dean of the Photojournalism Department at the Institute of Journalism in Moscow. Tarasevich’s work remains celebrated in the field of photography.