Congratulations to L. Fey who placed the the winning bid of $2,000 for November's auction painting "Portrait of the Wise Man" by Rashid M. Nurmuhametov. The estimated price for the painting was $3,000- $3,500.

For December, we are pleased to present as our auction painting a stark, simple Russian winter landscape painted by the Russian Master Vitali Zolotukhin. Russian artists, as you might expect, paint the endless varieties of snow better then perhaps any other group of painters. They catch the reflecting sky and the peculiar north light in a way that capture's winters beauty and magnificence. No one does it better than Zolotukhin and 'Frosty Day' is a great example of a Russian master painter's impression of winter.

"Frosty Day" by Vitali Zolotukhin is estimated at $4,000- $4,500. Bidding begins at $250, followed by minimum bidding increments of $250. The auction will end Saturday, December 31st at 4:00 pm.

 BID FORM

Estimated Value 4,000- $4,500 Winning Bid $3,000, A. Poczter

Vitali Zolotukhin
"Frosty Day"
 26½'' x 19¾'', (67.31 x 50.16 cm) 1962, Oil on Board
Estimated Price $4,000- 4,500, Winning Bid $3,000 A. Poczter

Vitali Zolotukhin  (1929 -1986)

(Translated from the original Russian)

Vitali Zolotukhin was born on 23 October 1929 in Sevastopol but he lived all his life in Nikolaev. At the age of 14 he began to work in the Art Center where he was admitted as apprentice in September of 1946. Since those days and almost for 40 years his life was connected with the Art Fund.

From 1955 Vitali Zolotukhin was a regular participant of all regional exhibitions of the artists from Nikolaev. In the 1960s, Vitali Zolotukhin was in the first rows of those who laid the foundation of the monumental and decorative art in the city and the region. In 1963 he took part in his first republican art exhibition where he presented the colored print "Buoy Keepers." Afterwards, over 40 of his works were exhibited at various republican exhibitions and the one -- "Fog" -- at the All-Union exhibition "Blue Roads of the Motherland" (1979). According to the catalogues, nearly 200 of his works were shown at the regional art exhibitions.

The artist was searching his way in painting and graphics, in modeling and fine arts, in all fields where the skillful labor, patience and mastery were necessary. The lyric surpassed the dramatic in the creative life of Vitali Zolotukhin. Depiction of the native land predominates in his landscapes. Due to his character, Zolotukhin painted mostly vivid and dynamic landscapes. His touchstone in still life was lilac, which he used to paint every spring.

The dramatic nature in the creative life of Vitali Zolotukhin found its expression in a number of the works devoted to the Civil and Patriotic Wars. The painting "Height" (1968) takes a particular place among them. Composition was of a special care for the artist. Working on paintings with a historic subject, Zolotukhin always tried to be accurate in depicting details. This proves that he aimed to resolve the specific task in his every work that was distinguished with inner life and dynamics. For instance, in the landscape, the artist tried to express the states of the day in various seasons, which were the most complicated in terms of the art.

As every artist, Vitali Zolotukhin was eager to create the beauty unique in its nature. One of his best works in the last period was "Sea" (1986). The painting is full of music and action.

Vitali Zolotukhin was a singer of his native land who understood that success in art is based on the love of the Motherland and on the memory that unites us as Humankind.