Bidspirit auction | Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov (1924–2011)

Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov (1924–2011) - Box “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish”. Palekh, USSR, 1988. Papier-mâché, egg tempera, powdered gold, lacquer. Signed lower right: “N. Golikov. 88”; inscribed left: “Village of Palekh.” 9 by 3 cm. Condition report:  Traces of age and handling, wear to the lacquer surface, inventory label on the reverse. Provenance A signed masterpiece from Golikov’s Pushkin cycle with impeccable provenance from the Golikov family archive. The work originates directly from the memorial collection of Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov and was created in 1988, during the artist’s mature late period, when his celebrated “flying” manner achieved extraordinary freedom, decorative richness, and technical precision. The box was carefully preserved within the family collection as a reference example of Golikov’s Pushkin-inspired works and has never previously appeared on the open market. A museum-quality masterpiece of Palekh miniature painting, demonstrating Golikov’s extraordinary command of narrative composition within an intimate format. Across the elongated surface of the box, the artist unfolds the dramatic story of Pushkin’s “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish, ” seamlessly integrating multiple episodes into a unified rhythmic composition. At the center stands the sorrowful figure of the old woman beside the broken trough - the emotional and symbolic core of the work. On either side appear scenes of the fisherman appealing to the Golden Fish against turbulent waves, amid swirling sea foam,   surrounded by shimmering Palekh golden highlights. Golikov’s signature “needle-like” technique creates the sensation of continuous luminous vibration across the painted surface. The deep mirror lacquer enhances the optical depth of the composition, transforming the box into a precious miniature object filled with movement, light, and musical rhythm. The artist’s signature and the inscription “Village of Palekh” reinforce the work’s status as a fully realized museum-level authorial original. Collecting & Investment Potential Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov is internationally recognized as one of the great masters of Palekh, while his signed Pushkin-themed works from the 1980s rank among the most desirable categories of his oeuvre. This piece is especially significant due to direct family provenance, artist’s signature and date, mature period execution, iconic Pushkin subject matter, exceptional decorative refinement and remarkable compositional complexity for such a small format. Works of this caliber rarely appear on the art market and are highly sought after by major private and museum collections of twentieth-century Russian art. A true signed masterpiece by Golikov, in which the Palekh miniature tradition reaches an extraordinary concentration of narrative power, decorative brilliance, and technical perfection.