| |
Among old school masters, one Ivan
Ivanovich Golikov, 1886-1937, deserves to specially mentioned. With his burning
colors, rhythmic compositions and elaborate ornamentation he can be considered
a descendant of the best Stroganov and tsar's iconographers of the 17th
century. His troikas have exceptional movement, harmony and beauty of line.
In 1931 Palekh's art school began to train new generations of painters to
continue the traditions. Presently there are about 250 men and women working on
the production of Palekh miniatures. However, not many painters follow the old
line, and along with simplification of decorative elements there is also
tendency to adopt the style of more realistic "Socialist" easel
painting. Circumstances and outside influences demanding that the painters
paint contemporary Soviet subjects more often are primarily to be blamed for
the change. After all, they cannot paint Soviet heroes or workers in rich,
gold-embroidered garments, or turn a factory into a palace. It is for this
reason that on many miniatures we still see in the background colorful Russian
churches and sometimes Red Army soldiers looking more like a tsar's spearmen or
grenadiers.
|
|
