Nicolai Cikovsky

Still Life of Fruit and Flowers

c. 1950

Nicolai Cikovsky arrived in New York in 1923 with impressive academic credentials, having studied in his native Russia at the Vilna Art School, Penza Royal Art School, and Moscow Higher Technical Art Institute. He quickly gained representation with the Charles Daniels Gallery, which exhibited only the most promising modern artists. Best known for his landscapes—especially of Long Island—and figurative works, Cikovsky was lauded for his ability to infuse his canvases with mood, capturing a spirit of place. Cikovsky's works were featured—and often won prizes—in some of the most important exhibitions of the day, including the 1926 International Exhibition of Modern Art at the Brooklyn Museum, National Academy of Design and Art Institute of Chicago annuals, and the New York World's Fair. Other exhibition venues include New York's Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Carnegie Institute, among many others. He was a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters and the Society of Painter, Sculptors, and Engravers. In addition to his painting, Cikovsky served as an instructor at the Cincinnati Art Academy, Art Institute of Chicago, Art Students League, and Corcoran School of Art.