The living room of Nikolai Golovanov housed a surprisingly exquisite work by the famous German artist Friedrich August von Kaulbach.
Friedrich August von Kaulbach studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg, in 1886 he became a director of the Munich Academy of Arts. Kaulbach reflected the contemporary artistic life in numerous caricatures, depicting members of the Artists’ Society Allotria. This association was established by the artist Franz von Lenbach in opposition to the official art of Munich. Friedrich August von Kaulbach’s preferred genres were allegories and history paintings. However, he is best known for his poetic portraits of women in the style of French salon painting of the second half of the 19th century. The Salon, or Paris Salon, was the annual art exhibition of works of fine art, which, starting from 1737, took place in the Louvre. In the 19th century, the exhibitions were also held in the Luxembourg and other palaces and were called “Salons”. Paintings for the exhibitions were selected by a special panel, which included members of the French Academy of Fine Arts.
The collection of Nikolai Golovanov features the enchanting and mesmerizing image of a refined lady with a lush bouquet in her hands. The colors of the paints were chosen with feeling — the beautiful girl in a rich burgundy outfit seems to be illuminated by the golden rays of the setting sun. The miniature picture is complemented by a beautiful frame covered with brown velvet, which, together with the sketch image, creates a perfect combination. It is known that Nikolai Golovanov decided to compile a catalog of all the works in his collection only toward the end of his life. This catalog, which looks like a landscape notebook, lists all the works of art from Golovanov’s collection in alphabetical order. Interestingly enough, the musician gave a special description to almost every work from his collection. So, the painting “Lady with Flowers” by Kaulbach was dubbed “German Primavera”. Many of the works of art were acquired by Nikolai Semyonovich during his trips abroad.
Friedrich August von Kaulbach studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg, in 1886 he became a director of the Munich Academy of Arts. Kaulbach reflected the contemporary artistic life in numerous caricatures, depicting members of the Artists’ Society Allotria. This association was established by the artist Franz von Lenbach in opposition to the official art of Munich. Friedrich August von Kaulbach’s preferred genres were allegories and history paintings. However, he is best known for his poetic portraits of women in the style of French salon painting of the second half of the 19th century. The Salon, or Paris Salon, was the annual art exhibition of works of fine art, which, starting from 1737, took place in the Louvre. In the 19th century, the exhibitions were also held in the Luxembourg and other palaces and were called “Salons”. Paintings for the exhibitions were selected by a special panel, which included members of the French Academy of Fine Arts.
The collection of Nikolai Golovanov features the enchanting and mesmerizing image of a refined lady with a lush bouquet in her hands. The colors of the paints were chosen with feeling — the beautiful girl in a rich burgundy outfit seems to be illuminated by the golden rays of the setting sun. The miniature picture is complemented by a beautiful frame covered with brown velvet, which, together with the sketch image, creates a perfect combination. It is known that Nikolai Golovanov decided to compile a catalog of all the works in his collection only toward the end of his life. This catalog, which looks like a landscape notebook, lists all the works of art from Golovanov’s collection in alphabetical order. Interestingly enough, the musician gave a special description to almost every work from his collection. So, the painting “Lady with Flowers” by Kaulbach was dubbed “German Primavera”. Many of the works of art were acquired by Nikolai Semyonovich during his trips abroad.
