Nicolas TARKHOFF

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Status, price and estimation of the artist Nicolas TARKHOFF

Price of a painting by Tarkhoff: 600 – 30,000€.

Estimate of a drawing or watercolour by the artist for auction: 150 – 2,000€.

If you would like to have a painting by the artist appraised, our experts are at your disposal for a free appraisal.

1894-1898: Moscow. First creations, first successes.

In 1894, he passed the entrance exam to the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, against his family’s wishes. The school’s jury, although less conservative than that of St Petersburg, refused his admission because of his revolutionary temperament.

In 1897, he entered the studio of the Impressionist painter KonstantinKorovin Alexeivich (his eldest by ten years) in Moscow. There he met Pavel Kuznetsov, Vasily Polenov and Valentin Serov. The small group ingeniously painted the nude models proposed by Korovin: “ Chacun was supposed to paint with bold sweeping movements, using a wide brush before going into details and nuances ”.

1898-1910: The Parisian years and international recognition

The French capital offers Nicolas Tarkhoff the most exciting themes of Parisian life. He paints the whirlwind of crowds on the boulevards, the magic of the funfairs and carnivals, the racing booths, the flow of the Seine and the market scenes with an assertive style and instinctive strength. Also, he regularly leaves Paris by train or bicycle to enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of the landscape of the Vallée de Chevreuse (south of Paris) where he sets up his easel.

In 1910, a large exhibition was devoted to him in the 7th Salon organised by the magazine Apollo in Saint Petersburg. His works, loaned to the exhibition by renowned collectors (Druet, Frizeau, Frantz Jourdain, Baron de Rothschild, Morozov, Albert Sarrault, Vollard, Zadoc Kahn…) and the French state, testify to his success and international recognition in his country.

1911-1930: Orsay: painting far from the city

Far from sophisticated Parisian life, Nicolas Tarkhoff aspired to paint as close to nature as the Impressionists, alongside the peasants of the land.

In 1911, he took a major decision: he decided to leave Paris for good with his wife and children. They settled in Orsay. This retirement gradually isolated him from the ever-changing artistic world. Only a few friends, such as Chagall, Lhote and Luce, maintained occasional contact with him.

Financial difficulties were beginning to emerge. He died on 3 June 1930 in true poverty. A retrospective of his work is organised the same year at the Salon d’Automne. It was the last spark of recognition before falling into oblivion. A Parisian gallery owner, Madeleine Oury, wife of his painter friend Marcel-Lenoir, helped Yvonne Deltreil by buying many works from the studio. These were rediscovered by passionate collectors in the 1960s. One of them, Oscar Ghez, devoted an entire section to her in his Museum of the Petit Palais in Geneva (Switzerland) and in 1981 organised several exhibitions in Russia, France, Spain and the United States. In 2014, the City of Orsay paid tribute to him. Today, an large part of his paintings are in Moscow, Russia: the country he had dreamed of returning to.

(Informations from :the website of The Friends of Nicolas Tarkhoff Association )

Recognising Nicolas Tarkhoff’s signature

Like many artists, Nicolas Tarkhoff did not sign all of his works. However, you will find below an example of the signatures to give you an idea. Variations of these signatures do exist, do not hesitate to contact one of our experts to formally authenticate a signature.

Appraise and sell a painting by Nicolas Tarkhoff

If you own a Nicolas Tarkhoff painting or any other sculpture, ask for a free estimate via our online form.

You will then be contacted by a member of our team of experts and auctioneers to give you an independent view of the market price of your painting. In the event of a sale, our specialists will also advise you on the various options available to sell your work at the best price.