Bidspirit auction | Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov (1924–2011)

Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov (1924–2011) - Box “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”. Palekh, USSR, 1990. Papier-mâché, egg tempera, raised gold, lacquer. 27 by 20 cm; large rectangular box. Condition report: Wear consistent with age; abrasions to the lacquer. Provenance: From the personal working archive of the Golikov family. Created and preserved by Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov. A major late work by Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov, one of the leading masters of the Palekh school, People’s Artist of the RSFSR, and son of Ivan Ivanovich Golikov. The piece presents a large-scale multi-figure composition based on Alexander Pushkin’s “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”. The composition is structured as a panoramic narrative, combining several key episodes within a single pictorial field. Scenes of maritime travel, figures, and architectural elements are integrated into a cohesive visual structure. Particular attention is given to the rendering of movement and spatial interaction. The palette combines насыщенные greens, ochres, and gold against a dark ground. Fine detailing - from architecture to costume - 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. Large-scale compositions based on Pushkin’s works are particularly significant within the artist’s oeuvre. Pieces of this scale and provenance are rarely encountered on the market. A major Palekh work by Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov, combining scale, narrative complexity, and literary subject. Such works are rarely available and are typically secured at the point of first availability.