Bidspirit auction | Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov (1924–2011)

Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov (1924–2011) - Decorative Panel (Plate) “Rider in an Enchanted Forest”. Palekh, USSR, 1976. Papier-mâché, egg tempera, raised gold, lacquer. Diameter 28 cm. Condition report: Wear consistent with age; scratches and abrasions to the lacquer. Provenance: From the personal working archive of the Golikov family. Created and preserved by Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov. A major decorative 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. Dating to the 1970s, the piece is executed as a large-scale decorative panel in the form of a plate. At the centre is a rider on a cinnabar-coloured horse, set within a stylised, fantastical landscape. The figure is rendered with the elongated proportions and dynamic movement characteristic of the artist. Surrounding the central figure is a decorative field of stylised animals and birds, forming a rhythmic circular composition. The border, enriched with raised gold, emphasises the structure of the object. The painting is finely detailed and executed using 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 decorative panels are significantly less common than smaller objects. Works from the 1970s represent a mature phase in the artist’s career and are of particular interest to collectors. A large-scale Palekh work by Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov, combining a central figure composition with a decorative circular format. Such works are rarely available and are typically acquired at the point of first availability.