đïž Misha Bear (Moscow Olympics Mascot) â 1980 â Original Poster by Viktor Chizhikov | Spanishâmarket Edition
Caixa dâEstalvis del PenedĂšs promotional issue for the Games of the XXII Olympiad, Moscow
Offset lithograph | 61 Ă 41 cm | Spain (market; printed in Canada)
đŹ Introduction
A radiant, fullâbleed portrait of Mishaâthe smiling mascot of the Moscow 1980 Olympicsâdominates the sheet. Soft, airbrushed browns and rosy gradients model the bearâs face and fur, punctuated by the iconic fiveâring belt. The concise âMoscow 1980â headline uses confident, modernist typography, leaving the characterâs warmth and instant recognizability to carry the composition.
This is the Spanishâmarket edition produced as a Caixa dâEstalvis del PenedĂšs promotion using the official organizing committee artwork. The minimal copy and warm, textured palette are quintessential lateâ1970s/1980 Olympic graphics, reproduced with crisp fidelity in offset lithography for a friendly, highâimpact display piece.
âš Why It Matters
Misha, designed by Viktor Chizhikov, is among the most beloved Olympic mascotsâan emblem of the Gamesâ softâpower imagery and Sovietâera character design. This Spanishâmarket variant, tied to Caixa branding and printed by Litho Canada (Fones & Mann, Montreal), reflects the unusual international production channels surrounding a Sovietâhosted Games. Such regional promotions surface less frequently than domestic USSR editions and hold crossover appeal: Olympic ephemera, Soviet/Cold War design, and mascot/illustration collecting. For designâminded buyers, itâs a clean, emblematic artifact of lateâmodern graphic culture with a clear provenance trail.
đ Poster Details
- Year: 1980
- Country: Spain (market)
- Size: 61 Ă 41 cm
- Format: A2 (approx.)
- Studio / Publisher: Organizing Committee, Games of the XXII Olympiad (ORGCOM â80); Caixa dâEstalvis del PenedĂšs (sponsor); Litho Canada, Fones & Mann Inc., Montreal (printer)
- Designer: Viktor Chizhikov
đ Condition
Very good vintage condition: sharp corners, vibrant color, no creases; strong saturation and a clean, displayâready surface.