Bidspirit auction | Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov (1924–2011)

Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov (1924–2011) - Sketch “Knights”. Palekh, USSR, 1950s. Cardboard, tempera. 10.5 by 22.5 cm. Condition report: Good condition for a work of the 1950s. Minor traces of age, light toning of the support, small abrasions, and minor edge wear are visible. The painted surface remains generally well preserved. Provenance From the Golikov family collection (Palekh). Created and preserved within the artist’s personal archive. This rare early compositional sketch by Nikolai Golikov, titled “Knights, ” belongs to the formative period of the artist’s individual visual language. The work presents a multi-figure scene inspired by Old Russian epic tradition. At the center ride heroic mounted warriors advancing ceremonially against the backdrop of a fantastical ancient city. On both sides of the composition unfold scenes of combat with serpent-like dragons and mythical creatures. The composition possesses strong movement and resembles designs for theatrical scenery or book illustration. Despite its modest scale, the composition reveals sophisticated spatial organization and rich narrative density. Its early date (the 1950s) is especially significant, marking the period when the artist actively developed his own interpretation of the Palekh tradition. Collecting & Investment Potential Early works by Nikolai Golikov from the 1950s are considerably rarer than pieces from his mature period and possess strong collector value. Such sketches are highly desirable for both private collections and museum holdings dedicated to twentieth-century Russian decorative art. “Knights” is a rare early compositional sketch by Nikolai Golikov in which the defining qualities of his artistic language already emerge: decorative richness, epic imagination, and a refined sensitivity to the Palekh tradition.