Русский ремесленник

Preface.

N.I. Golikov in work Soviet government pumped out the creative potential of the artistic heritage of Palekh vast material resources. Small provincial village thundered to the world of art. What was received in return from those in power? If you compare those gold country's income from income of fishing, we see that artists have lost more than gained.

They fought the leading masters of getting their personal studios, since the majority of housing was not allowed to work fully - not received. They fought for the abolition of all sotsplana and socialist competition - not achieved. Fought for the increase in costs for their products on the art councils - not overcame. Dreamed of a good shelter for their families - and dream. And so on ... In short, as the old miniaturist Ivan Mikhailovich Bakanov:

 - Palekh artist doomed to walk in nankeen pants. That is, in patched-perelatanyh pants, the most simple and mundane. Greater wealth he was not given. The late Ivan Ivanovich Golikov, who admired the scenery Bolshoi Theater, had nothing to put in a coffin.

Who is in Palekh Ilyinsk the old cemetery with a cozy little church, which lie next to the graves of Ivan Golikov, Ivan Bakanov Ivan Zubkov, certainly falls into the shadow of a dark-red ruins, great for the village, collapsed building. This is the result of criminal adventure Soviet directorate workshops, decided that the money broth derived from slave labor artists should not go to improve their lives and to meet the foolish ambition of the administrative staff. About five million rubles buried in this pit. By then the communist standards, it is a fantastic amount. Savvy wizard once counted and found that the money each working group would be enough to build a perfect house with a workshop and other joys of life.

Take, for example, master-class: Golikov, Vakurova, Kaurtsevy, Blokhin, Solonin and many others. All of them, their descendants have lived in dilapidated century-old cottages. During its centuries-old work from generation to generation received nothing but poverty and disease. That this state care about the best of their citizens.

In the Holy of Holies

Early morning. We will visit homes now have the oldest working artists of Palekh Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov and Sophia Mikhailovna Golikova (Vakurova). Both of them come from the ancient dynasties of Palekh icon painting, numbering more than one hundred years. In memory of the current representatives and other memories of old residents of the village, all foreseeable their ancestors were engaged mostly icon painting.

House, living in it representatives of the famous ancient art, over a hundred years. In the 50 years of the last century, it had to be rebuilt urgently, because to live in it becoming impossible. The main supporting structure came into disrepair. Day had to go to work, and the early morning, evenings and weekends, Nikolai Ivanovich picked up a chainsaw, ax, planes and prepared from the material that was at hand the replacement of its outdated logs and planks. Helper was not, the parents of almost all that time died (my mother was alive only Sofya Mikhailovna). Nails artist almost all used the old, spending countless hours in their bearing. Later, he even traveled to Moscow for them. In local stores shelves were empty. At work, they paid a pittance. Good work valued at a penny, and all government sent abroad and sold for hard currency.

Somehow mastered this construction. Even without construction, and maintenance, because the core material had to use the old one. Wood, if subscribed to, then a few kilometers from Palekh. Transport was no money to spare. Several logs still had to drag myself.

The first child they had died six months old. The second came two years later the cold autumn of 1956. Subsequently, also continued the creative life of an ancient clan, becoming a beautiful, talented craftsman.

A tiny kitchen, divides the Russian stove in a little house in half. Over the stove is the same small room. Under the studio Nikolai redid the former corridor.

 Cramped, of course. Terms useless - quietly says the great creator.

 - Our fathers lived like that and we are not better. Directs us fools all my life, here and take a sip - he continues. But the guest is always glad that their family is still in the old Palekh was known. Starve themselves, and gave the last. Thus commanded, and your children.

Case our delegation comes to requests to show some work, if possible. For an artist for 85 years, the same age Palekh Artel ancient paintings. He was born in the same December 1924. Wife little younger - 81. Both work in the fishery almost sixty years. Masters of the outstanding level unique. As they say now - piece.

N.I. Golikov after WWII Enjoying the first samples. Although we and the artists themselves, have worked for thirty years, but struck down unexpected compositions, color scheme, the highest genuine Palekh style, which imbibe the best of ancient art. Picture perfect and executed flawlessly. Elastic line shapes flowing into fantastic flowers and trees. Combines all the wonderful land of song. Such a fine solution, we do not have yet seen. Everything lives and breathes. Eye-ridden paintings. Nikolai wrote on different backgrounds, here and white, and gold and azure. By the way, he first turned to white after the elderly. And the result - a brilliant, brilliant.

 - Here's what it means to think in images. Each element in its place - not subtract, not add any millimeter, - says one of us. Startling feel extraordinary. Soul hinders breathing. It seems that the whole century of experience Palekh painters concentrated in these works. In a small workshop streams wonderful divine light of these works. All amazed and silent.

 - Here's to us at the school in this study, but then so much time lost in vain - we are complaining.

 - Yes, the originals now in trouble. You anything more perepalo copy of the works of the founders, "says the old master

It went on the management of schools:

 - How Mishka Belousov-wally could prevent such a theft? - Nikolai Ivanovich relives and remembers the blatant robbery from the store of priceless training college samples.

 - Beat irreparable, - adds the maestro and breathing heavily.

Mishka Belousov is the current director of the school. In particular it reduced the level of quality teaching, varied curriculum. Why and why - no one can answer.

 - Now the Internet can meet our graduation diplomas. They're freely available. Although their place in the school fund. They created, we are almost on the year, and some more. Perhaps Directorate pritorgovyvaet and no one to throw a bridle on the mangy little hands - we indignation.

Nikolai looks at us in surprise his clear, the colors of heaven, his eyes:

 - And you, what?! Previously, this was unacceptable! Foundation is the holy of holies. While it should not take students of their best work, they are much more useful to themselves. You are young, to seek truth and fight with meanness, fear not!

All fall silent again. Indeed, there is blatant trade our creativity, director of profiting from others' works, zhiruet for your pleasure. And, as the water in his mouth scored. Ashamed of his complaint, his impotence.

 - "But our school, in fact, nothing was taught, - says Nikolay. - So, made some minor comments, nothing more. The old men said nothing more, explained tersely. We had to just dig himself. Think, look, experience ... Heavy happened.

Master of few words, all the leaves in the memories, re-living all his difficult career. We are young, acutely aware that our environment is much easier. The road we paved. Only go, do not be lazy. Nobody and nothing prevents. Terms beautiful. All the comfortable comfortable housing, cars, money, appeared luxurious mansions. But why are we at an impasse, there is no outstanding original works, use it, and mercilessly exploiting only legacy of the founders of Palekh Art.

And here sits the oldest white-haired wizard in front of us and said the simple words in his tiny room. Remembers the front-line trenches, the attack, my first blood in the Orel-Kursk. Hungry childhood passion for drawing. He remembers all the old artists and associates of his father. Man who became a legend during his lifetime. Under his hand, studied in art workshops all, called today's leading artists. Some of them pulled up their Golovenko and began to declare themselves people to resurrect Palekh, the sole heir of the older generation ... There were some orthodox picture books with annotations that time the title of academician of painting them to give. These pictures do not stand any criticism. Nothing Palekh is not there. Example - Prayer Book published by "White City". Poor bast primitive elements of the apparent plagiarism. On the cover of poorly copied "Animals" with a certain boxes Ivan Golikov. And do not hesitate to give someone else for her. Nothing better Golikov's "The Lay of Igor" is not created in the field of book design. Yes, it is unlikely to be.

Nikolai Ivanovich shows some of his lacquer miniatures. Watch can be a very long time, but to us, our colleagues, do not really understand the secrets of beautiful craftsmanship. The subtlest and yet bold, fast, elusive afloat. And what images! Amazing! Once again, we feel uneasy.

 - Here's to you, Nikolai Ivanovich, I had the director put the workshops, and all some big dirty dog came across on our heads. What we have not seen and many have missed in their studies and life. Do not we have enough teachers present - began to philosophize one of us.

 - Yes, there's no director you have to, as leader of the whole fishery. And children's art school, and college, and workshops - add the rest.

The old artist just smiled:

 - Work Boys and think more, look at our old masters. Do not be afraid to learn life! Go ahead, ask me. I am always happy to help you, if I can. Thank you.

S.M. Golikova The door to the shop opened quietly and entered the wife of Nikolai Ivanovich, Sofia Mikhailovna. They are almost the same age by age. On a large tray she was carrying hot cakes:

 - Help yourself, take, eat, - with a good feeling it provides. - Now and the samovar ripe, we will drink tea from the spring water of the ancient forest source. In the meantime, talk more and see.

In Palekh her great fame in baking cakes and cheese cakes from the wonderful cheese and immutable for a long time. She learned this art from his mother Praskovia Alexandrovna Vakurova - wife of well-known former icon painter Mikhail Petrovich Vakurova - brother of the same well-known Ivan Petrovich. Dozens of artists have called for her hospitable table.

Returning, she brought to show his recent work - a plate of "Ruslan and Ludmila. With great interest we have seen this work. And once again faced with the same mysterious and beautiful play of colors, gold forms. Same figurative thinking. And how easy! Unbelievable! Yes, I thought, here we have worked for thirty, and some more years, and only now to discover a new page in knowledge of Palekh miracle. Indeed, how little we have learned in the five years in college, then another thirty in the workshops. All I heard:

 - Let's plan, drive and stream to-date information.

System destroys the artist ruthlessly. One has only to fall under its gear and drag, gobble. But, thank God that stand in its way people, their attitude to work showing the true way of man-creator. And a small core of creative artists is for them, this is what defines the working atmosphere in the team.

On the wall of the workshop drew the attention of a large, almost complete canvas "Winter Troika" with the incomparable scenery. Ikonografichnye horses leapt into the waves of freezing snow. In rupture of clouds and elastic curls drifts golden sunlight firmament. Some white churches, streamlined blizzards, unwavering rise above the raging elements. Through the blizzard discernible listed elochki not had time to fall in crimson autumn foliage frozen bushes. And all this shows the superior language, the art of Palekh style. It seems so simple and understandable, but to us, a little known the basis of art, know that feeling of ease the labor of others. One has only to sit at the desk and immediately fading these illusions. We have to make dozens of color and pencil sketches, before the venture and move to an object or canvas.

Nikolai Ivanovich offers another look at a lot of work, too, on canvas, works from the Pushkin's Ruslan and Ludmila. " We are now seeing first hand, understand how the icon-painting tradition organically are the bedrock of Palekh style. Elegant, perfect strictness of architectural forms, internal harmony and dynamics of people's images. Silhouettes and traditional manner of execution of landscape elements. And all of this closely and exactly together sopodchineno. And over all visible distinctive individual look Masters to his work, which allows you to say that this is the hand Golikov, Vakurova, Kaurtseva, etc.

 - Superior craftsmanship - sums up one of us.

 - Life is not enough to comprehend and understand how everything is so organized. Fantastic! - Burst from the lips of another, who had worked for nearly forty years in Palekh.

We drink tea with the famous pies Sophia Mikhailovna. Nikolai monitors that everyone was fed and watered. For pies followed by hot, only just learned from the Russian stove cheesecakes. Impossible to resist. Here truly and spirit, body and stronger!

 - That's what I want to say to you young. Take care and keep in their hearts of the religious consciousness, love for all living things and nature. Try to discern in the surrounding spiritual. Try to do good. Approach to work with reverence, not halturte, no fuss. After all, his name will leave a job - says a humble master, staring us wisely and calmly, and with some curiosity. Probably, in his thoughts, he asked himself, goes to whether our souls is the truth, the knowledge that the founders left us with our art?

Once again, we become uncomfortable as sinners before Christ.

 - Remember the Sermon on the Mount Teachers often read the other Sages, look for the truth - we trembled in amazement on the convergence of our spiritual condition and unexpected words of the old Palekh artist. Many tears glistening in her eyes, everyone is silent.

N.I. Golikov in the forest Again consciousness embraces the unpleasant feeling of many years of following false false postulates of his apprenticeship. How many untalented people led and continue to guide the young artists. At some primitive, illiterate level of education delivered in school. In fact, it does not give anything but the simplest of craft skills. And then - a question. With some delay we found the true and simple way to follow the Wise Master.

Here we are - to provide logistic support, pleased with himself, for his work. We think that all his secrets in our pocket, all the secret doors of creativity open. But it was enough to see this work and, as if his head knocked against the wall impregnable. We recall our creative aplomb, ambitions. God, what a baby talk, what ignorance! But 30 - 40 years worked, the title of "distinguished", "People" grabbed. Little books make out, for the Bible come from! In Russia the Church to paint, and what, why and how - even no time to think. Called - have arrived!

We went to Golikov for half an hour, so as not to tire the elderly, but it turned up very late at night.

 - Such a feeling that we must once again take up their studies. Nothing, we do not know, so the top ..., - almost at the same time uttered a few of our votes.

 - No icons, or in miniature, and in life, in fact, have seen nothing, - summed up the rest.

Began to remember the generation of war veterans, artists, the last living representative of which only that we were lucky to visit. Rozhkov Vyacheslav Zaitsev Alexey, Chalunin Paul, Teryokhin Alexander, Parilov Boris .., remember and unique carpenters whose qualifications akin to ours. In good shape boxes, cigarette cases, or the plate and figure to go organic, easy. What was the responsibility of approaching our senior colleagues of any work, how thoughtful, even simple, seemingly, subjects and themes. The harder they had in life, so then more out of their hands appeared unique works.

According to the memoirs of Yuri Nikolaevich Golikov - the son of Nikolai Ivanovich and Sophia Mikhailovna, their house constantly filled with a variety of guests, colleagues and friends. Summer is usually collected in a large garden at the table in the thicket of thorns. And it was strange to hear, seemingly from the heavens gryanuvshuyu suddenly, brilliantly executed by repeatedly Nikolai Ivanovich song "Oh, you black horses, remove - grivachi my ...". The harmonious chorus of fellow surprisingly sang "When used had Zlate Mountains and rivers, full of wine ..." necessarily performed the song "Revell storm, rain rustled in the gloom the lightning flashed ...", "Shumel harsh Bryansk forest ..." "Oh my fogs, rastumany ... "In the last three songs Nikolai Ivanovich created famous songs. Heard from these green Kusch serious talks on ways of Palekh art, on the current work, about life. But on the front talked very rarely. Once avoided the topic. When we kids asked for something to tell us about the war, then heard in response:

 - Nothing good there was no kids, and you better not see ever in my life - they replied and continued his wise talk.

 - Amazing that there were people, war veterans, artists, who came to his father - continues his recollections Yuri. - We are the guardians seemed a great mystery, their eyes were very attentive to all their surrounding world. Many, along with crafts, fluent in ax, planes and other carpentry tools. Their hands were strong and broad. Extremely kind were these former soldiers who have taken instead of squirrel rifles, small brush and kept in his huge palm miniature cups with paint. Waking up early in the morning with the sound of horns and "fired" on the street shepherds' sticks, huge herds of trampling feet, my father, almost never caught the house. Ask your mother where his father and received in reply that he was on the river, I rushed headlong into a lane and a couple of minutes saw his broad back on the steep bank. He talked quietly with the early fishermen watching the pouring across the horizon at sunrise. Other days I wake sound of the ax in the courtyard. Father finish building the house.

In winter, after work, he got up on skis and went into the woods. It usually takes 5-10 kilometers. Sometimes I was tied with him. Even later, he explained to me such trips very tired at work in art workshops. Through his hands on the arts councils were hundreds of works of artists, each of which had to carefully scrutinize and make comments to the artist and to assess. It is, moreover, that his own work took a huge force. All work created by him for more than fifty years, are creative, unique.

A little later we will devote a separate chapter of memories N. Golikov their parents, and now will continue his short story about a meeting with Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov.

I saw one of our medium-sized cardboard face leaning against the wall:

 - Nikolai Ivanovich, can not I see this work here?

 - Seeking is an image of the Savior, many revised models. The problem though is a difficult but interesting - said Master and turns to our board.

All fell silent again. And suddenly someone cry:

 - Honestly, no worse Rublev happened!

S.M. Golikova "Ruslan and Ljudmila" The memory surfaced Rublevsky Savior and immediately went comparison. And indeed, not worse. But this is Golikovsky image, unique and unusual for spiritual strength, the impression on the viewer. Another mysterious sample authentic Palekh school.

 - How did you manage this? But this is opening now! - About the same time we exhale.

Master of serious and thoughtful, his eyes fixed on the job. As if no one in the room, only Savior, and gray-haired creator. Nikolai looked, stared, and Christ looks at his artist. A little later Golikov removes the cardboard, and without saying a single word. So - not the time and place, we decide ... To understand, you need to live and survive as much as fell to his lot.

Parting with the artist. The yard is already night. On asleep streets go silent. Every once in your soul with excitement and joy of experiencing this meeting. What luck still live and see how to create true masterpieces of Palekh, no, it is not only Palekh and world art.

A low bow to you, our dear Nikolay Ivanovich Golikov!

Thankful palekh's artists, your students.