When Stalin was arresting millions for execution or slave labor, hundreds of artists were more than willing to work full time on the alteration of all public images to suit the latest party line. (That's where Orwell got his "1984" material for the "Ministry of Truth", "memory hole" and the the main character's job of "re-writer of newspaper articles.")
Here's an article in wikipedia showing the before and after of many Stalinist public photos given his "historical revision" treatment: LINK
