Bidspirit auction | Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov (1924–2011)

Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov (1924–2011) - Box “Who Can Be Happy and Free in Russia?”. Palekh, USSR, 1976. Papier-mâché, egg tempera, raised gold, lacquer. 10 by 8 cm; rectangular. Condition report: Signs of wear; minor scratches and abrasions to the lacquer. The box has been repaired. Provenance: From the personal working archive of the Golikov family. Created and preserved by Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov. A work by Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov, one of the leading masters of the Palekh school, Honoured Artist of the RSFSR, and son of Ivan Ivanovich Golikov. The piece dates to the 1970s and is based on Nikolai Nekrasov’s poem “Who Can Be Happy and Free in Russia?”. The lid depicts a scene of seven peasants engaged in debate - a key episode from the work. The composition is structured as a multi-figure grouping, emphasising interaction between the characters. Figures are rendered with individual gesture and expressive movement. The colour palette contrasts vivid reds, greens, and ochres against a black ground. Fine detailing of costume and landscape elements is executed using raised gold and the traditional multi-layered tempera technique. Collecting & Investment Potential: Works by Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov are held in major museum collections and form part of the established canon of Palekh miniature painting. Works from the 1970s represent a mature phase in the artist’s career. Literary subjects beyond the Pushkin canon are less common and add further interest for collectors. A characterful Palekh miniature by Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov, reflecting the artist’s engagement with broader Russian literary themes. Such works are seldom available and are typically acquired at the point of first availability.