Nicholai Alexandrovich Tarkhov, 1871-1930

The chaotic ‘masquerade of life’ in all its grotesque forms is a theme more closely associated with the Symbolist or Surrealist movements, and indeed the treatment of this predominantly figurative composition is reminiscent of the work of James Ensor.

This work is believed to be the last painting which Tarkhov completed before his death from cancer aged just 59. It is a unique subject within his oeuvre, contrasting sharply with his colourful depictions of family life in the French countryside and reveals Tarkhov’s troubled and disillusioned state of mind during the last months of his life.