"Lenin on the Rostrum (1980)" (2 x 2 x 1/2 inches, 5.40 x 5.40 x 2.50 cm) "Portrait of Natalia Goncharova (2000)" (4 1/2 x 5 x 2 1/4 inches, 12.00 x 15.00 x 6.00 cm) "Peter The Great- A Vision (2002)" (4 1/4 x 6 x 1 1/2 inches, 11.00 x 15.50 x 5.00 cm) "President George W. Bush (2002)" (4 1/2 x 7 1/4 x 2 inches, 12.40 x 18.70 x 5.20 cm) "Alexander S. Pushkin (2001)" (5 1/4 x 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches, 13.40 x 0.00 x 6.40 cm)

Soloninkin, Nikolay Mikhailovich of Fedoskino Born: 1945 Nikolay Mikhailovich Soloninkin was born in 1945 in the village of Shev-Maidan in Ryazan region, although he currently lives in the village of Fedoskino. Nikolay Mikhailovich finished the Fedoskino Art School in 1964, where he studied under I.F. Vetrov, P.S. Davydov, and A.S. Sokolov. As the artist works in the style of Fedoskino academic miniature art, he uses technique of painting in oils. Nikolay Mikhailovich prefers to create portraits and works on genre themes in warm colors. Soloninkin's creative work was influenced by paintings of such outstanding Russian artists as K.P. Brulov and O.A. Kiprenskiy. The master works at the Fedoskino factory of miniature art. Soloninkin has been awarded many titles, for example, National Artist of Russia, Member of the Union of Artists, Lauriat of I.E. Repin State prize, and Lauriat of Lenin Komsomol prize. Works by the artist have been included in exhibitions in Russia and abroad, where they won many prizes and awards. It might have been many years ago, but many might still remember Time's Man of the Year of 1988 as being Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorbachev's likeness was on the cover, but what many didn't know was that Nikolay Soloninkin painted that lacquer box that was photgraphed and made the cover. Soloninkin was also photographed and given credit inside the magazine as the exquisite talent who made the cover for Time what it was that year. The box and its portrait that found itself on the magazine is now housed in a museum in Washington DC. His art pieces are held in museums throughout Russia, in private collections, and in collections of statesmen from all over the world. The most important elements of his works are finish of form and freshness of painting. Soloninkin considers a miniature to be done, when there is nothing to correct. Upon beginning new piece, the master sets a goal to create the right composition, to arrange its parts, to reveal its character, and to design the entire box. As all painters, Nikolay Mikhailovich has his own special techniques. His works can be distinguished from others by their completeness, sharpness, decoration, colors, and picturesque images. In his free time Nikolay Mikhailovich keeps house. He would like to say to people who want to acquire his pieces for private collections to buy those boxes that gladden the eye and that make us interested in them. N.M. Soloninkin's works are cited in these books: I. Suprin L.Ya., 1987, LACQUER MINIATURE OF FEDOSKINO, LEGROMBITIZDAT, Moscow: 1. N.M. Soloninkin, E.M., E.M. Golosvatov panel "Portrait of Marshal Zhukov" (1974, Museum of Fedoskino Factory), #34, page 89. 2. Plate "Portrait of V.V. Tereshkova" (1978, Museum of Fedoskino Factory), #35, page 92. 3. Plate "Portrait of A.A. Kruglikov" (1977, Museum of Fedoskino Factory), # 36, page 94. 4. Plate "Portrait of M.S. Chizhov" (1983, Museum of Fedoskino Factory), # 37, page 95. 5. Plate "Portrait of I.I. Strakhov" (1983, Museum of Fedoskino Factory), # 38, page 96. 6. Panel "Round dance" (1980, Museum of Fedoskino Factory), # 106, page 209. II. Chizhov M., 1982, AMONG MINIATURISTS. NOTES OF FEDOSKINO MASTER, ARTIST OF USSR, Leningrad: 1. N.M. Soloninkin, E.M., E.M. Golosvatov panel "Portrait of Marshal Zhukov" (1974, Museum of Fedoskino Factory), page 210. III. Pirogova L., 1996, 200 YEARS OF RUSSIAN LACQUERY, Yantarny Skaz, ROSKNIGA, Kaliningrad, ISBN 5-7406-0017-0: 1. Portrait of I.I. Strakhov (1980, Museum of Fedoskino Factory), page 91. 2. Portrait of M.S. Chizhov (1984, Museum of Fedoskino Factory), page 92. 3. Portrait of Liolia (1991, private collection, Moscow), page 93. IV. Soloninkin N., Dmitriev B., 1995, FEDOSKINO LACQUER MINIATURE, Fedoskino factory of miniature art, Moscow: 1. Panel "Round dance", # 10, page 13. 2. Small Chest "Bakchisaray Fountain", # 17, page 16. 3. Panel "Boyaryshnya at the Fence", # 30, page 24. 4. Small Chest "Shrovetide", # 59, page 37. 5. Small Chest "At the Fireplace", # 62, page 39. 6. Panel "N.N. Goncharova", # 65, page 42. 7. Casket "Yu.A. Gagarin", # 66, page 42. 8. Panel "A.S. Pushkin", # 67, page 43. 9. Casket "Zhukov G.K.", # 72, page 46. 10. Small Chest "Marfino", # 83, page 52. V. RUSSIAN LACQUERS, V/O ROSVNESHTORG, 1989, Moscow, USSR: 1. Panel "Portrait of I.I. Strakhov", # 3, page 9. 2. Panel "Portrait of M.S. Chizhov", # 4, page 9. 3. Panel "Round dance", # 1, page 21. VI. Guliayev V., 1989, RUSSIAN LACQUERED MINIATURES, AURORA ART PUBLISHERS, Leningrad: 1. Panel "Portrait of M.S. Chizhov", # 68, page 78. VII. Maria Nekrasova, 1994, RUSSIAN LACQUER MINIATURES. FEDOSKINO, PALEKH, KHOLUY, MSTERA, Soglasie, Moscow: 1. Box "Ferapont monastery" (1977, Fedoskino Museum), # 83, page 95. VIII. Nikolai Malakhov, 1990, FEDOSKINO, IZOBRAZITELNOYE ISKUSSTVO PUBLISHERS, Moscow: 1. Panel with a portrait of pilot-cosmonaut of the USSR Georgi Beregovoi (1985), # 157. 2. Panel with a portrait of Yu. Gagarin (1980), # 158. 3. Panel with a portrait of Russian painter A. Savrasov (1980), # 159. 4. Small box with a view of the Isles of Solovki (1981), # 160. 5. Small box with a view of Ferapontovo (1977), # 161. 6. Casket showing an old peasant couple recollecting their past (1972), # 162. IX. Krestovskaya N., 1995, MASTERPIECES OF RUSSIAN FOLK ART. LACQUERED MINIATURES. FEDOSKINO, INTERBOOK, Moscow: 1. Casket with a Portrait of Mikhail Lomonosov (1991), # 161. 2. N.M. Soloninkin, B.N. Korneyev (jeweler), Medallions with portraits of: Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, Empress Catherine II, Emperor Nicholas I, Emperor Alexander III (1995), # 162-165, page 90.

Russian Sunbirds, Inc. 3780 Hancock Street Suite E. San Diego, CA 92110 Tel/Fax/Toll-Free 877-818-7110 www.sunbirds.com