"The Twelve Months (2003)"
(7 x 4 1/2 x 2 inches, 18.00 x 12.00 x 5.30 cm)



"Tale of Tsar Saltan (2002)"
(5 1/2 x 4 x 4 1/2 inches, 14.70 x 10.60 x 12.00 cm)



"Summer Garden (2001)"
(3 1/2 x 1 1/4 x 1/2 inches, 9.30 x 3.80 x 2.20 cm)



"Come, visit me my friend (1999)"
(2 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches, 7.00 x 11.50 x 7.00 cm)



"The Tale of Tsar Saltan (2003)"
(7 x 4 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches, 18.20 x 12.00 x 5.00 cm)



"Troika (1999)"
(1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 inches, 0.00 x 0.00 x 0.00 cm)



"Tsar Saltan (2002)"
(5 1/4 x 3 1/2 x 6 1/4 inches, 13.60 x 9.60 x 16.00 cm)



"Mstera (2002)"
(1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1 inches, 5.00 x 5.00 x 2.70 cm)



"Ivan and the Grey Wolf (2000)"
(9 1/4 x 7 1/4 x 1 1/2 inches, 24.00 x 18.50 x 5.00 cm)


Tikhomirov of Mstera

Tikhomirov, Valentin Leonidovich
of Mstera
Born: 1947


Valentin Leonidovich Tikhomirov is a renowned artist to those who know his work in lacquer miniatures! Tikhomirov was born in 1947 in the village of Chernovorie in the Vyaznikovsky region of Vladimirskaya County. He currently resides in a large house in Mstera along with his family: his wife, daughter and her husband and their baby daughter. Incidentally, everyone in the family paints lacquer boxes.

He studied under E.N. Zonina and N.I. Shishakov at the Mstera Art School before graduating in 1967. His diploma work was "Conquest of Siberia". He began working at the Mstera Art Factory directly after graduation. Later, he was invited to teach classes in miniature painting, and was invited to sit on the board of art critics for the Mstera Art School.

Tikhomirov currently works at the cooperative, "Center of Traditional Mstera Miniatures." He has received certificates of recognition and two bronze medals from the People's Achievement Exhibition. He has been awarded many other certificates from various other exhibitions, as well. You can find Vladimir Tikhomirov's name in many catalogs and books.

Tikhomirov prefers to create paintings that are inspired by fairytales (bilina), history, lyric poems, and songs. He tends to focus on the ornamentation of the box and the figures within the theme. He attributes Dutch and Scandinavian art to be one of the greatest influences in his work. Upon beginning a new piece, Tikhomirov approaches it as whole and tries achieve harmony between the color, shape, and ornamentation. He believes his scrupulous development of a piece is the most important factor in creating his works of art, yet the freshness of colors and his freedom in the choice of ornamentation is their most unique element. He considers a piece finished when the paint and lacquer has set and is polished. Thankfully, future generations will be able to view his work as several of his pieces have been purchased by museums in Russia.

In his free time, Tikhomirov likes to think about his next work and to paint out doors. For his admirers, he hopes for your ever improving taste in art work, and encourages you to look deeper into the piece to try to understand what the artist is expressing. He also wishes strong health to everyone!


V.L. Tikhomirov's works are cited in these books:

I. RUSSIAN LACQUERS, V/O ROSVNESHTORG, 1989, Moscow, USSR:
1. Casket "Tale of Fisherman and Gold Fish", page 49, # 7.
2. Casket "Tale of Tsar Saltan", page 51, # 6.
3. Casket "Little Hump-backed Horse", page 55, # 2.
4. Casket "Little Hump-backed Horse", page 55, # 10.
5. Casket "Little Hump-backed Horse", page 57, # 2.
6. Casket "Fire-bird", page 57, # 3.
7. Casket "Shehrezade's Tales", page 57, # 7.

II. Dugina G. N., Pozdnyakova V. V., 1996. THE ART OF MSTIORA. CATALOG OF MSTIORA ART MUSEUM EXHIBITS. Vladimir "POKROVA" Publishers ISBN 5-87393-002-3
1. Casket "The Tale of the Dead Princess" (1975), page 78.
2. Casket "Battle" (1976), page 78.
V.L. Tikhomirov's biography is on page 210.

III. Kultyshev K.N., 1999, MSTYORA LACQUERED MINIATURE, CENTER OF TRADITIONAL MSTYORA MINIATURE:
1. Egg "Suzdal".
2. Egg "Russian winter".
3. Egg "Blessed Virgin. Sign".
4. Egg "Easter".
5. Casket "St. George and the Dragon".
6. Box "Snowmaiden".

IV. Guliayev V., 1989, RUSSIAN LACQUERED MINIATURES, AURORA ART PUBLISHERS, Leningrad:
1. Casket "The Tale Of Tsar Saltan" (1978, All-Russia Museum of Decorative and Folk Arts, Moscow), # 190.

V. Maxym L., 1997, RUSSIAN LACQUER LEGENDS AND FAIRY TALES, Corners of the World Inc., 855F Conklin Street, Farmingdale, N.Y. 11735, ISBN0 940202-01-8
V. Tikhomirov's name is mentioned on page 79.

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