Medvedev in the Rain

Where the frame came from

The photo was taken during a public outdoor event: the drops on the clothing and hair show that it was raining at the time of the shot. On the right side of the frame is Vladimir Putin, who is leaning toward the person he's speaking with, while security staff and guests stand behind, one of whom is holding over his head an object resembling a sausage. This background detail later became the subject of its own jokes.

The exact date of filming and the name of the event are not known. The series of photoshopped images dates to 2017. The authorship of the first variants and the specific community or user from which the spread began also remain unknown.

Stern Medvedev

The name "stern Medvedev" became attached to the photo thanks to his facial expression: the politician looks straight into the lens with a focused, almost displeased look. The rain, which looks almost out of place in the frame, created the image of a steadfast man patiently enduring bad weather. The captions quickly turned this composure into a subject of irony.

The surname Medvedev by itself gave the meme an extra layer. Users played on the word "medved" (bear): in captions the man was compared to a forest animal that isn't afraid of cold and damp, as well as to a bear forced to get soaked in a downpour. This wordplay needs no explanation and is easily carried over into any new caption.

The mechanics of the photoshops

A typical photoshopped image is built on a simple device: text or elements are added to the frame that change the meaning of the scene. The rain allows the photo to be captioned as a metaphor for hardship, a cold reception, bad weather, or perseverance. Most often the jokes concern his manner of carrying himself and his public image rather than his appearance, and are taken as a light comment.

The series exists as a set of images to which new texts, frames, and references to popular phrases are added. Such edits spread across social networks and forums, so specific variants have often not survived in their original sources. This is precisely why different versions of the series can be found in the most varied designs.

Context and attitude toward the meme

Memes about current and former politicians are an ordinary part of the Russian-language internet. They reflect audience interest in public figures and show how a politician's image lives on apart from the official agenda. Here the jokes are aimed at the emotional state captured in the frame and contain no assessment of the politician's actions.

It is important to distinguish such photoshops from official statements: this is user-created work, not a position held by anyone depicted in the photo. No public comments from the people in the frame about the meme are cited in this article. Should new information about the photo's origin appear, the text can be updated.

Conclusions

Medvedev in the rain remains an example of how one well-timed photograph can spawn a long series of jokes. The simple idea of pairing a gloomy look with bad weather proved flexible enough to keep working for several years and across different occasions.