¿Pochemu? (Lenin's Monkey) T-Shirt

This T-shirt illustrated by artist P.Verbitska was inspired by the story of the bronze monkey in Lenin’s study.

Nearly the entire time that Lenin worked in the Kremlin, his writing desk was graced by a bronze sculpture standing just behind the inkwell. This sculpture depicted a monkey staring in fascination at a huge human scull: it was a famous work by the late-19th-century German sculptor Hugo Rheinhold, The Affe mit Schädel ("Ape with skull”).

The sculpture was given to Lenin by Armand Hammer, who had purchased it at a London antique shop in 1922.

Lenin did not conceal his affection for the bronze monkey - it wasn’t by coincidence that he placed it in the most prominent place on his desk. There were no more statuettes or other works of art there - it was the only thing of its kind.

A long time after Lenin's death, his office in the Kremlin was turned into a museum, with the bronze monkey residing there until the end of the Soviet era. 

This T-Shirt is captioned 'Почему' (Pochemu), which translates as 'Why?'

• 100% ringspun cotton
• 4.5 oz (153 g/m2)
• Pre-shrunk
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
• Quarter-turned to avoid crease down the center

Size guide