The future great painter was born on December 12, 1799 in St. Petersburg, in the family of an artist who painted wonderful miniatures, Pavel Brullo, a descendant of a Huguenot. They left their homeland in droves in 1685, when King Louis XIV issued a decree repealing the Edict of Nantes. The time had come when Protestants were persecuted everywhere.
Karl's creative destiny was predetermined from birth - his father was a painter in the 3rd generation; his 5 sons (Karl - middle) were educated at the Academy of Arts, where he taught, and became painters.
Karl had a very weak immune system, was ill a lot and until the age of seven he spent almost all the time in bed. His father, a mason by conviction, believed that every minute must certainly be spent with benefit. He himself was involved in the upbringing of the boys, demanding that they draw daily, and the tasks were considerable. If someone did not fulfill the entire norm, then he was deprived of lunch. Once angry, he hit the boy for a minor prank, and he was deaf in one ear all his life.
In 1809, Karl and his older brother were admitted to the Academy of Arts without exams. The mentors quickly noted that among classmates with Karl, no one could compare in drawing - he received awards, as his teachers said, "whole handfuls", striking everyone with his talent and unique abilities.
Having triumphantly graduated from the Academy in 1821 and having received an excellent certificate, Karl became a pensioner of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists (OPKh), and with these funds he and his brother went to Italy.
For ten months, the brothers slowly moved with stops through European countries, visiting many cities. For twelve wonderful years of his life, Bryullov lived in Italy. On this land blessed for all artists, he took place as a talented painter. During these years, many events took place in Europe, in particular, they were marked by an irreconcilable struggle between classicism and romanticism. Bryullov also takes an active part in it. The main "battles" took place in Paris, where the classics David and Ingres were "attacked" by artists led by Delacroix.
Since 1789, painters from Russia were not allowed into France - they lived in Rome. Bryullov was fascinated by the magnificent painting of the Renaissance, but he was looking for his own way. He soon said goodbye to the plots proposed by the Academy. His works "Italian Morning", "Italian Noon", "Horsewoman" and others put the artist on a par with the best painters in Europe. However, the OPH, which paid him money, caused bewilderment. Karl in 1829 broke off relations with the OPH and refused help.
At this time, Karl was attracted by a story from the life of Ancient Rome, and then the wealthy industrialist A. Demidov suggested that the artist paint a picture based on this story. Bryullov wrote this work for almost six years. The work was a kind of response of the painter to the questions that worried young artists at that time. He sought to reconcile classicism and romanticism in his work. The result was stunning - "The Last Day of Pompeii" was a deafening triumph in all European countries. The canvas was exhibited in Paris and was awarded the Big Gold Medal. Then, Demidov's gift to the emperor, was exhibited at the Academy of Arts. long lines lined up.
Bryullov left Italy at the call of Nicholas I, leaving his love behind. Countess Yulia Samoilova - a Russian beauty - legends were made about her novels. From their frequent correspondence, it is clear that it was a passion. Julia was Bryullov's muse, she shines in many of his paintings.
Russia met the "Great Charles", as they began to call him after this triumph, with jubilation. Receptions in his honor were held in the most distinguished houses of the capital and Moscow. Bryullov met many of the best representatives of culture and art. Warm sincere friendship connected him with M. Glinka and N. Kukolnik. But not everything went so smoothly ... Pushkin wrote: "Bryullov returns reluctantly, fearing a damp climate and captivity." The unwillingness to return had good reasons - Nicholas I, was excited by the mood that prevailed in Europe, "tightened the screws." The relationship between the emperor and the painter was tense - Bryullov was too freedom-loving by nature. Indeed, it is very surprising - he did not write a single portrait of the Russian monarch, under various, often far-fetched pretexts, refused such orders - there are several surviving memoirs of his contemporaries on this subject.
The artist set about creating the canvas “The Siege of Pskov by S. Batory”, which, as he said, very soon turned into “Annoyance from Pskov”. He wrote it for eight years and then abandoned it. To enroll in Prof. Bryullova K.P. there was a huge queue. His grateful students were: Chistyakov, Shevchenko, Fedotov, Ge.
The personal life of the great painter did not work out. He fell in love with Emily Timm, the daughter of the mayor of Riga. She agreed to become his wife, but before the wedding, Amy admitted that she had succumbed to her father's harassment and continued to have an intimate relationship with him. However, the young people got married. But Amy's father took her marriage as a cover to continue this relationship. A couple of months later, the marriage was annulled. "Great Karl" was glorified. Gossip did not stop, he was no longer accepted in many metropolitan houses.
The artist was often sick, tormented by heart problems. In 1849, he left Russia, traveling through Europe, and stopped at Fr. Madeira. A year later, Bryullov visited Spain and from there moved to his beloved Rome. He became friends with the family of Angelo Tittoni, Garibaldi's colleague in the revolutionary struggle.
On June 11, 1852, K. P. Bryullov left this world in Manziana, located not far from Rome, there were mineral waters prescribed to him by a doctor ... In the morning, nothing foreshadowed the tragedy, but after lunch he suddenly felt suffocated, and after three hours conscious until his last breath, he died.
Karl Bryullov was buried in Rome at the cemetery of Monte Testaccio. The greatest painter of the nineteenth century was only fifty-two.
Natalya Abdullaeva
self-portrait
Artist Karl Bryullov is one of the greatest Russian artists. And today I decided to start a series of publications about this great artist, his life and his work.
Biography, canvases of the artist, life, creativity and great love. It is impossible to describe everything in a few words and pictures. Moreover, both creativity and the life of an artist, like any person, cannot be described in a few words.
Today I will talk about the main milestones in the artist's life and about some of the artist's works: the history of the creation of the painting, the plot and the artist's intention.
Biography of the artist Karl Bryullov
Artist Karl Pavlovich Bryullov was born in 1799, on December 23, in the capital of the Russian Empire - St. Petersburg. His father was quite famous in the capital as a decorator and wood carver.
At the age of 10, Karl was accepted into the Academy in the class of historical painting. His teachers were well-known master painters: Ivanov A.I., Shebuev V.K., Egorov A.E. From the very first days of his studies, the young artist showed his talent and teachers expected unusual and talented works from him.
While still a student of the Academy, Bryullov creates a number of complex compositions that attract the attention of the public and specialists.
For example, in his "Narcissus" one can see the desire of the young author to combine the classicism that prevailed at that time and the living natural "ordinary" nature. Romanticism is just coming into fashion and the display of the world of a person and his feelings is completely new to the public.
Narcissus admiring his own reflection The artist's brother architect Alexander, in 1822, went to Italy. The "Society for the Encouragement of Artists" thus rewards the young architect. And Carl decides to go to Italy with his brother. He did not suspect that he would return to Russia only after 14 years.
Italy simply amazes the young artist and provides a huge number of topics for painting. In 1823 - the famous "Italian Morning" that amazed St. Petersburg.
Italian morning In 1824 - "Erminia with the shepherds", 1827 - "Italian noon". Bryullov studies genre motifs, looks for the necessary nature and, most importantly, tries to find a completely new "language" for his painting.
His paintings glorify the beauty of man and the beauty of the world around him. The artist wants to show the joy of being. He transfers this new vision to his portraiture. I will not list all the artist's works in this genre (I will discuss some of them below in more detail), but remember the "Horsewoman" ... This is a portrait, but a portrait, for its time, completely unusual. There is lightness and fire in it, hidden joy and triumph of living human flesh, and the curbed fury of a horse, and the tenderness of beautiful ladies.
In the works of the artist of that period there are no shadows and sorrow.
In 1835 he visits Greece and Turkey. As a result of this trip, a whole series of watercolors saw the light: “The Temple of Epicurean Apollo”, “Delphic Valley” and others. Incredible colors and scenes delight art lovers.
The artist studies the work of old Italian masters, architecture and history. And the result is "The Last Day of Pompeii." Experts call this work the most significant in the artist's work. Karl Bryullov began work on the painting back in 1830 and painted it for three years).
In 1836, the artist returned to his homeland and received a professorship at the Academy of Arts. The Petersburg period of the artist's work is, for the most part, portraits. Noble men and beautiful ladies. The artist strives to show not only the natural beauty of a person, but also his inner world, experiences and joys, passions and inner nobility, which is in everyone (the artist thought so).
In 1839, the artist began to work on the painting "The Siege of Pskov by the Polish King Stefan Batory in 1581". This work exhausts the artist. The theme is not given at all, in St. Petersburg it is gloomy and damp. In the same period, the artist begins to paint the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral. The artist is seriously ill. He could not finish painting and painting the cathedral. The disease turned out to be really very serious and put the artist to bed for a long seven months.
In 1849, Bryullov went abroad for treatment.
In Italy, he feels much better and starts working again: drawings, a series of watercolors and portraits.
And on June 23, 1852, the artist died. He died on the outskirts of Rome in the town of Manziano.
Shortly before his death, he said:
“I didn’t do half of what I could and should have done.”
Paintings by artist Karl Bryullov
Bakhchisaray fountain (1838-1849)
Bakhchisarai fountain Karl Bryullov was familiar with Pushkin. They met often. After the death of the poet, Bryullov expressed a desire to participate in the publication of the collected works of the great poet, drew sketches of the frontispiece.
In the same period, Bryullov began work on the painting The Fountain of Bakhchisarai. The artist made a huge number of sketches in order to find the future composition of the picture, he studied the positions of the bodies of the characters, the clothes of oriental women. Bryullov did not want to show the drama of the feelings of Zarema and Maria, but the romantic side of the life of the eastern harem. Sleepy laziness, languid monotony and serenity of the life of beauties. As in Pushkin's lines:
…Carelessly waiting for Khan
Around the playful fountain
On silk carpets
The crowd frisky sat
And looked with childish joy
Like a fish in a clear depth
Walked on the marble bottom ...
Italian Afternoon (1827)
Italian afternoon Karl Bryullov wrote this picture by order of the St. Petersburg Society for the Encouragement of Artists. This happened after the huge success of Italian Morning.
And Carl wrote:
The heroine of the picture does not differ in antique proportions and does not at all look like an ancient statue.
Bryullov shows the beauty of a real Italian woman.
And this simple Italian woman outraged the Society. The Chairman of the Society reminded the artist that the purpose of art is the graceful depiction of nature. And the lady on Bryullov’s canvas is of “more pleasant than graceful proportions.”
However, Bryullov insisted on his right to show real beauty, not conventional.
In order to get a real play of light and shadows, the artist painted a picture in a real vineyard.
Agree that the picture is simple, and incredibly, beautiful.
Portrait of Yu.P. Samoilova, leaving the ball with her adopted daughter Amazilia Paccini (1839)
Portrait of Countess Yulia Pavlovna Samoilova, leaving the ball with her adopted daughter Amazilia Pacchini Countess Yulia Pavlovna Samoilova is a special woman in Bryullov's life. About the history of their love and friendship, a separate post -.
She is a female star, a socialite and "your slave". A beauty with a bad temper, wayward, loving and submissive. Truly an incredible woman.
In 1939, Samoilova came to St. Petersburg due to the fact that it was necessary to dispose of the huge inheritance left over from her grandfather, Count Litt. It was during this period that Bryullov began this portrait. The artist said that he wanted to show the masquerade of life. There, behind Samoilova's back, behind the red curtain, the royal ball rumbles and social life bubbles up like a fountain. And before us is just a woman, in a royal outfit, but without a mask. She took off the mask, which is needed for a world of lies, where everyone seeks to isolate themselves from people and impersonate someone who they really are not.
And the main theme of the picture is the triumph and beauty of a strong and independent personality.
Horsewoman (1832)
Rider This famous painting depicts pupils of Countess Samoilova. On the left is the younger Amazia, and on the horse is the older Jovanina.
The artist loved Samoilova, and the girls were part of the world that surrounded the countess. And Bryullov, loving the countess, could not help but love the girls.
As conceived by the artist, the "Horsewoman" is a large portrait to decorate the front hall in the Samoilova Palace. The portrait was commissioned by the Countess. She said more than once that she wanted to hang all the walls with "his miracles."
The artist shows his ideal world. And in this world life is beautiful. Here is the charm of childhood, and the pride of youth. We see all this on the faces of little heroines. The artist put so many feelings and emotions into this work that the everyday everyday scene appeared before the audience transformed, full of poetry and extravaganza of colors.
Turkish woman (1837-1839)
Turk Returning to gloomy and rainy St. Petersburg, the artist often refers to the memories of his travels in the Mediterranean.
Memories and fantasies. The artist's album contains a lot of sketches depicting women in outlandish oriental dresses. We can say that he was worried about the topic of the "Turkish woman" - an exotic and mysterious woman.
The ladies of the world in the paintings of Karl Bryullov are dressed in "semi-oriental" outfits. There are quite a few watercolor works in the artist's albums, which show the features of the artist's contemporaries.
And the artist painted this Turkish woman from a model. The fact is that in addition to the "Turkish Woman" there is also an "Odalisque". And the main character of both pictures is the same lady.
Bryullov very carefully painted the face of his Turkish woman, which is decorated with a bright huge Turkish turban.
Experts say that it is the "Turkish Woman" that is a particularly feminine and close to nature work of the artist. I have no desire to disassemble the picture into atoms. Karl Bryullov is a master. And his "Turkish Woman" is simply lovely. Without any if and highly artistic assessments.
Paintings by artist Karl Pavlovich Bryullov
The last day of Pompeii 
Girl picking grapes near Naples 
Portrait of A.M. Beck 
Portrait of Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna with her daughter Maria 
Death of Inessa de Castro 
bathsheba 
Odalisque 
Italian woman expecting a baby examines a shirt 
Dream of a young girl before dawn 
Mother waking up from baby crying 
The siege of Pskov by the Polish king Stefan Batory in 1581 Karl Pavlovich Bryullov - a famous painter, draftsman, watercolorist, who lived in the first half of the 19th century. His work brought freshness of vitality, romance, passion for the beauty of the surrounding world into the painting of contemporary academic classicism. World fame to this artist was brought by his work "The Last Day of Pompeii".
Our article presents a biography of Karl Bryullov. Briefly talk about this artist is not enough. Of course, Karl Pavlovich deserves a detailed consideration of his life and work. This is what the biography of Karl Bryullov presented below is dedicated to.
The origin and childhood of the artist
Bryullov Karl Pavlovich was born in St. Petersburg on December 23, 1799. His father, Pavel Ivanovich, is an academician of ornamental sculpture. In this regard, it is not surprising that all seven children in the family had artistic abilities. Moreover, five sons - Ivan, Pavel, Alexander, Fedor and Karl - became artists. The greatest glory, however, fell to the lot of the latter.
As a child, Karl was sickly. marked by the fact that for seven years he hardly got out of bed. Karl Pavlovich suffered from scrofula. Very early, the boy showed great talent for painting. Pavel Ivanovich has been working with his son since childhood. As a teacher, he was very strict. Karl's father could even leave his sick son without breakfast just because he did not complete the drawing task.
Studying at the Academy of Arts, first works
When Karl was 10 years old, he was accepted into the Boy from the very beginning of his studies, he stood out among his peers for the serious training that he received under the guidance of his father, as well as for his bright talent. Karl Pavlovich passionately loved to draw. For this, he sometimes even imitated bouts of scrofula, went to the infirmary and painted portraits of friends there.
The boy's teachers at the Academy were A. Egorov, A. Ivanov, V. Shebuev and others. The work "Narcissus Looking into the Water" was his first recognized work. Its plot is based on the Greek myth about a handsome young man who was captivated by his own reflection in the water. In 1819, Bryullov was awarded a gold medal of the second degree for this work. And two years later, for a painting called "The Appearance of Three Angels to Abraham," he was awarded the Big Gold Medal.
Life with brother
Karl Pavlovich in 1819 settled with his brother Alexander in the workshop. His brother was Montferrand's assistant on the construction of the famous St. Isaac's Cathedral. Bryullov at this time earned his living by creating portraits to order. Among his customers were people who later joined the Council of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists. Karl Pavlovich, at their request, created "The Repentance of Polynices" and "Oedipus and Antigone". For this, he was given the opportunity to make a four-year retirement trip to Italy with his brother.
Trip to Rome, works of the Italian period
The biography of Karl Bryullov continues with the fact that he, together with Alexander, went to Rome in 1822. Here the brothers studied the art of masters dating back to the Renaissance. Karl Pavlovich devoted a lot of time to training, however, he was quite saturated. During the time spent in Italy, the artist wrote many different works. In the works "Italian Noon" (pictured above) and "Italian Morning", which were created for the report of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists that sent him abroad, the author turned to everyday scenes of grape harvest and morning washing, and not to mythological or historical subjects. The painting "Italian Morning" was appreciated by Nicholas I himself. He presented this work to the Empress.
Karl Bryullov in the Italian period of his work focused on portraiture. Among his works, it is necessary to note the portrait of Countess Yu. Samoilova with a black-haired girl, created around 1832, the musician M. Vielgorsky in 1828, Giovanina Paccini (the famous "Horsewoman", in the photo above) in 1832, as well as a self-portrait, written about 1834, a biography of Karl Bryullov was noted. Interesting facts about the artist and his outstanding works are numerous, as you will see by reading this article to the end.
Return to Russia
Returning to Russia, the artist created in Moscow several works of a more intimate nature. Among them are the portraits of A. Tolstoy, A. Pogorelsky, and I. Vitali at work. Somewhat later, while living in St. Petersburg, Karl Pavlovich created portraits of I. Krylov (in 1841) and V. Zhukovsky (in 1838). It is noteworthy that he completed the last work specifically for the lottery, which was organized to raise funds for the ransom of T. G. Shevchenko from serfdom.
Meeting with Yu. P. Samoilova, a new trip to Italy
At one of the receptions held in 1827, the artist met Pavlovna. This countess became Karl Pavlovich's love, closest friend and artistic ideal. Together with her, the artist went to Italy to the ruins of the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii, which died in 79 AD. e. due to a volcanic eruption. Bryullov, inspired by the description of this tragedy by a Roman author who was an eyewitness to it, realized that this event would be the theme of his next work. The artist spent three years collecting material at excavations and in archaeological museums. He strove to ensure that every item presented on his canvas corresponded to that era.
"The last day of Pompeii"
For six years, work continued on a painting called "The Last Day of Pompeii." In the process of its creation, the author made many sketches, sketches and studies, and also changed the composition several times. When the picture was presented to the public (it happened in 1833), it caused a real explosion of delight. Before that, none of the works belonging to the Russian school of painting was awarded such great European fame. At the exhibitions in Paris and Milan in 1834, her success was amazing. Bryullov in Italy became an honorary member of several art academies at once, and in the French capital he was awarded the Gold Medal.
How can you explain such a success of this picture? Not only a successful plot, which corresponded to the romantic consciousness of the representatives of that distant era, but also the way the author divided the crowd of dying people into local groups. Each of these groups illustrates a certain affect - greed, despair, self-sacrifice, love. The power of the elements, which is presented in the picture, indiscriminately destroys everything around, breaks into the harmony of being. Among the artist's contemporaries, she evoked thoughts of unfulfilled hopes, of a crisis of illusions. This painting brought its creator worldwide fame. Anatoly Demidov, who commissioned the painting, presented it to Nicholas I.
Expedition and its fruits
It was difficult for Bryullov to create something superior to this canvas. After writing it, he fell into Karl Pavlovich at the same time set to work on several works, but did not finish any of them. In May 1835, the artist went on the expedition of V.P. Orlov-Davydov, who was heading to Turkey and Greece. On the brig "Themistocles" he came from Athens to Constantinople. The commander of this ship was V. A. Kornilov. His portrait, created in 1835 (pictured above), is one of the best watercolors that marked the biography of Karl Bryullov. His work, inspired by the expedition, was subsequently replenished with a whole series of watercolors, paintings and graphic drawings. Among them should be noted the works of 1835 "The Wounded Greek" and "The Turk Mounting a Horse"; "Turkish woman" (pictured below), created in the period from 1837 to 1839; paintings of 1849 "The Fountain of Bakhchisaray", "Sweet Waters in Constantinople" and "Harbor in Constantinople".
Solemn reception in Odessa
Bryullov in the fall of 1835 was forced to return to Russia by order of the tsar. The first of the Russian cities where he arrived was Odessa. Residents of the city arranged a solemn reception for the artist. M. S. Vorontsov, the governor-general of Odessa, began to work to increase the period of his stay in this city. However, the artist himself did not want to linger in these parts.
How Bryullov defended his independence
On December 25, Bryullov arrived in Moscow. Acquaintance with A. S. Pushkin was an important event in his biography. After his arrival in St. Petersburg, the sovereign demanded that Karl Pavlovich paint portraits of members of the imperial family. However, he always found reasons not to do the job. The courtiers were amazed at the impudence with which the artist treated high-ranking officials. Bryullov defended creative independence, he managed to make everyone respect himself.
Teaching activity and new works
Karl Bryullov, whose biography and work were known to many by that time, in 1836 began working as a professor at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he taught young artists. He created an entire "Bryullov school", which included his followers. Many well-known masters, such as T. Shevchenko, P. Fedotov and others, grew up under the influence of Karl Pavlovich. The period of work at the Academy also includes the creation of about 80 new portraits. Among the most famous works of Bryullov of the 30s are portraits of V. A. Perovsky, the Shishmarev sisters (pictured above), Kukolnikov, singer A. Ya. Petrova. In addition, Bryulov participated in the painting of St. Isaac's Cathedral.
Events in the personal life of the artist
It should be noted that in the second half of the 1830s, Karl Pavlovich Bryullov was very lonely in his personal life. His biography is marked by a feeling for a woman named Yulia Samoilova, whom we have already talked about. However, she was abroad at the time. Karl Pavlovich at the age of forty met Emilia Timm, a gifted pianist. The father of this girl was the mayor of Riga. Emilia, it must be said, had a difficult past. She honestly confessed to the artist in connection with her own father. However, pity and love blinded the artist. He hoped that feelings would overcome everything. So the biography of Karl Bryullov was marked by a wedding with Emilia. His personal life, however, was not easy. After 2 months, having survived the claims of the father of his chosen one and a public scandal, he broke up with Emilia. Countess Samoilova soon returned to Russia. In 1841, the artist created her ceremonial portrait.
last years of life
In 1847, rheumatism, a severe cold and a sick heart bedridden the painter for 7 years. However, during this time he continued to work. Noteworthy is his "Self-portrait", referring to 1848 (presented at the beginning of the article).
On the advice of doctors in April 1849, Bryullov left Russia forever. However, treatment on about. Madeira brought him no relief. The artist created several portraits. The most famous among them is the image of M. Lanchi, dating back to 1851. Nevertheless, Karl Pavlovich did not receive satisfaction from work. In the spring of the following year, he moved to Marciano near Rome. The biography of Karl Bryullov ends on June 23, 1852. It was then that the artist died. His studio was filled with sketches depicting scenes from Italian folk life.
Karl Bryullov, whose brief biography we have outlined, is one of the greatest Russian artists. His works are known not only in our country, but all over the world. Now you know what is remarkable about such an artist as Bryullov Karl Pavlovich, a biography. The history of his life, you see, is very interesting.
On December 12 (23), 1799, Karl Pavlovich Bryullov was born in St. Petersburg. The Bryullov family was hereditary artistic. Karl's great-grandfather - Georg Bryullov, an ornamental sculptor (from the French Huguenots) arrived in St. Petersburg in 1773. The eldest son Ivan, also a sculptor, had a son, Pavel Ivanovich Bryullov. He, in turn, was an academician of ornamental sculpture, a painter, who later became the father of the most famous artist.
Little Karl grew up as a weak child, about seven years old he fell ill with scrofula, which chained him to bed at that time. His father raised him, despite this in severity. Pavel Ivanovich could deprive his son of breakfast if he did not complete his drawing homework. Karl wanted to be like his father, seeing how hardworking he was, but he was afraid of him, especially after the case when Karl disobeyed and received physical punishment for this. After that, he became deaf in his left ear.
Karl Bryullov had older and younger brothers. All of them studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. Karl entered this academy in 1809. Already there, he was distinguished among his peers by his talent and diligent home preparation. Bryullov, thanks to his abilities, was popular among his peers: they turned to him for help. Bryullov was the only one who was allowed to study contrary to a strict training program (initially, it was necessary to pass copying, drawing plaster figures and heads, drawing from mannequins and after that drawing from living life). Karl received permission much earlier to draw his own compositions. The first of them - "Genius of Art", made in pastel.
Bryullov's work was influenced by the events that took place in the country. And this is the birth of the Decembrist movement, acts of terror. The authority of Alexander I began to be undermined.
In 1819, Bryullov painted the painting Narcissus Looking into the Water. She shows his passion for drawing from life. In the same year, he settled in the workshop of his brother Alexander, who was working on the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral as an assistant to Montferrand.
In 1821, Karl Bryullov graduated from the Academy with the first gold medal. Now he wants to work on his own. At this time, new trends and styles begin to emerge in art. From 1821 to 1823 Bryullov joined the ideas of classicism. He has a special interest in the portrait genre, although at the Academy he was considered a low kind of painting. He draws from nature of his relatives and relatives: the couple of actors Ramazanov, his patron, Secretary of State P.A. Kikin, his old grandmother.
In 1821, the Society for the Encouragement of Artists was opened in St. Petersburg to help artists and promote various areas of art. Karl Bryullov and his brother Alexander became the Society's first pensioners in Italy. On August 16, 1822, they set off for Rome on a Petersburg-Riga trip. It was just before the trip that their original surname "Bryullov" was given a Russian ending - "Bryullov". The journey lasted a year. While traveling, Bryullov works on orders, paints portraits. There he discovers the work of Titian.
On May 2, 1823, the brothers arrived in Rome. In the museums of Italy, the young artist studies the painting of past centuries. Conquered by the grandiose "Athenian School" of Raphael, Karl has been working on its copy for four years, eventually striking everyone with his skill.
In 1827, he first met Yulia Samoilova. The Countess became his artistic ideal, inspiration and only love. With her, he would later go to Pompeii.
After 1829, he ceased to refer to mythological subjects in his paintings, and began to work entirely in the portrait genre.
During the years of his stay in Italy, Bryullov created about one hundred and twenty portraits. Bryullov painted in such a way that all his portraits were attractive. And all because he wrote personalities for whom he feels emotional sympathy. The highest achievements of Bryullov in the field of chamber portrait can be called a portrait of Prince G.I. Gagarin, his son G.G. Gagarin, portraits of A.N. Lvov, brother of Alexander. The cycle of self-portraits of the artist should also be attributed to the peaks of this variety of the portrait genre. During the years spent in Italy, Bryullov created several of them.
Bryullov also addressed in his works to the life of the child and youthful soul. Bryullov writes his famous Horsewoman. This brilliant picture immediately put him on a par with the largest painters in Europe. She caused a sensation in Rome.
The idea of the fusion of man and nature, their comparison was very characteristic of the romantic direction: the pairing of periods of human life with the course of the day or with the seasons attracted many of Bryullov's contemporaries. Then appears "Italian morning", which brought him wide popularity. The picture conquered everyone. It was presented to Alexander I as a gift. "Italian in the morning" is followed by "Italian noon", which was the result of many years of searching for the artist. It depicted an already mature woman, who was distinguished by an unprecedented vitality.
But the courage and novelty of the idea caused a unanimous rebuff. Everyone expressed censure of Bryullov's new work: the Society for the Encouragement of Artists and the elder brother Fyodor.
However, Bryullov has to make excuses, because he was not going to give up: "The correct forms of all are similar to each other," that is, submission to a single canon leads to the similarity of the characters of the most diverse works in content.
On May 28, 1829, Bryullov sent a letter to St. Petersburg, in which he politely refused the further pension of the Society. Finally, he is free in his creations. He earns enough and feels confident. But the main reason that made him break with society most likely lay in the fact that for two years already, since the summer of 1827, when he first visited the excavations of Pompeii, a grandiose plan for a monumental historical picture was ripening in him. The story of the disaster captured all his thoughts. First, he creates a few sketches, and then proceeds to the canvas.
To write the canvas, he uses archaeological excavations, letters from eyewitnesses, his observations in the place. He will depict some of the figures in the very poses that have preserved the voids formed in the solidified lava in place of the incinerated bodies.
Bryullov spent a lot of effort and energy on this work. In total, it took 6 long years to work on "The Last Day of Pompeii". Its size reached 30 meters.
After placing the picture came the real triumph of Bryullov. Many people came to see the masterpiece. Then the canvas was brought to Milan. And again crowds of nations, glory, recognition. Bryullov began to be recognized on the street. The artist continues to work closely, write to order. At this time, Bryullov receives an offer from V.P. Davydov to take part in a scientific and educational expedition to Asia Minor and the Ionian Islands. During this trip in 1835, Bryullov creates a series of images of Greek rebels - a portrait of their leader, the insurgent Theodore Kolokotroni, compositions "Wounded Greek", "Greek on the Rock", "Greek Insurgent".
The nature of Greece struck Bryullov. Previously, he was not fascinated by her, and now her landscapes appear in the artist's works. The brightest of them: "Delphian Valley", "Istomskaya Valley before a thunderstorm" and "Road to Shinano after a thunderstorm". On the expedition, Bryullov suddenly fell ill and had to fall behind the main movement. In the autumn of 1835, on December 25, he was in Moscow for the first time in his life. Well, in his native land, he was also waiting for a triumph and popular recognition. Bryullov's painting made a revolution in Russian artistic life.
At this time, two meetings took place that had a great influence on the work and life of Bryullov. These are meetings with S. Pushkin and Tropinin V.A. Now he completely devotes himself to the portrait genre, and specifically to the Russian portrait. Tropinin dedicated him to this.
With Pushkin, they immediately agreed and fell in love with each other. Their friendship continued until the death of the poet.
Upon his return to St. Petersburg, Bryullov began working as a professor of the history class at the Academy. The Imperial Academy of Arts elevated him to the rank of junior (2nd degree) professor. To receive the title of senior professor, he had to paint a large picture on a theme approved by the Academy. Apparently, Bryullov was puzzled by this turn of affairs. Apparently, "The Last Day of Pompeii" was not significant enough to receive the title of senior professor. Such was the highest respect of Tsar Nicholas I.
Since 1836, Bryullov began to work on the order of Nicholas I on a huge painting "The Siege of Pskov by the Polish King Stefan Batory in 1581", which in no way corresponds to real historical events. All these pressures, guardianship were hated by Bryullov. In 1843, he would never touch the painting again, leaving it unfinished.
This marked the beginning of the painful relationship between the tsar and Karl Bryullov. Bryullov strove for monumental painting, for fresco. In 1837, he expressed a desire to paint the walls of the palace with frescoes on the themes of the history of Russia and turned to the tsar with a request. But got rejected. Everyone was amazed at the manner with which he treated the most senior persons, and he was quite bold. Bryullov was moving towards independence and was looking for any way to this.
Bryullov continues to work in the portrait direction.
Love came to the artist at the age of 40. He met the gifted pianist Emilia Timm, who was a student of Chopin himself and the daughter of the mayor of Riga. In the portrait of Bryullov, she is depicted as a subtly beautiful girl, from whom she exudes youthful freshness. But Emilia had a bitter past. In fact, under this beauty, a dirty connection with her own father was hidden, and she honestly confessed to Karl in this sin. But Bryullov, blinded by love for her, was able to forgive. They got married (1839)
In 1839, Karl Pavlovich takes up work on a new portrait of Yulia Samoilova. She comes to St. Petersburg during the most difficult period for Bryullov: after his divorce from his wife. Having gone through all the scandals in society, a lot of insults from Emilia's father, on December 21, 1839, their marriage was annulled, as they say, because of the difference in age and the "nervous excitability" of the artist. Emilia left Bryullov only pain and suffering. Bryullov feels lost and alone. Samoilova supports him, provides care and tenderness.
The second name of the portrait is "Masquerade". The content of this portrait is the world of lies and the image of an honest, worthy Samoilova, who is above all this.
Soon Samoilova leaves Russia. Bryullov will not see her again.
In 1847, a severe cold, rheumatism and a sick heart confined the artist to bed for seven long months. He was disappointed in his work, seeing how much he did not have time to do. For four years he worked on the murals of St. Isaac's Cathedral, but due to illness, another artist finished the work on his paintings. But most of all, he was disappointed that, being a great Russian painter, he did not create a single large-scale canvas on the material of Russian history. During this period, he writes his best self-portrait, written in 1848. Illness forced me to retire. Solitude led to concentrated reflection. Self-portrait - the result of nearly half a century of life. The result of creative searches. Summary of thoughts. Beneath the external immobility lies the intense work of thought. Eyes are burning feverishly. Eyebrows, tensely drawn into deep folds, also express the passionate, painful work of the mind. Thinking finds here such sharpened forms of expression that it itself is perceived as an active action.
On April 27, 1849, Bryullov went abroad to recover from his illness. On the journey, he does not stop working, paints portraits - the son-in-law of Nicholas I, Duke M. of Leuchtenberg and those Russians who made up the retinue of the duke. But he does not get job satisfaction.
On May 23, 1850, Bryullov went to Spain. He visited Barcelona, Madrid, Cadiz, Seville. During the trip, I almost did not draw at all. Just watched. He looked eagerly, as in his youth. Only in Rome did he write several works. The last two years of his life spent in Italy proved to be extraordinarily fruitful in Bryullov's work. In Rome, as is known, Bryullov had a studio on Via Corso. He begins to work in a new manner, it is clear from his works that this is already a different Bryullov. Bryullov meets Angelo Tittoni, an ally of Garibaldi, a participant in the 1848 revolution. Almost two years before his death, he is in close contact with his family.
He paints portraits of Angelo Tittoni, his Carbonari brothers, his daughter Juliet and his other relatives. "Portrait of an abbot" - in this gallery of images, Bryullov captures the face of a suffering, oppressed, but unconquered fighting Italy. An innovation in Bryullov's work of those years was an appeal to a dramatic situation taken from everyday life. The painting "Procession of the Blind in Barcelona" is located in Milan. One can see a number of new properties that make it completely different from the artist's previous genre scenes. The latest works of Karl Pavlovich Bryullov are portraits, compositions on political and dramatic contemporary themes.
On June 23, 1852, Bryullov died in the town of Marciano near Rome. He never managed to return to his homeland. The artist was buried in the cemetery of Monte Testaccio, the Roman cemetery for non-Catholic foreigners Testaccio.
Karl Pavlovich Bryullov (Bryulov)(until 1822 - Brullo; December 23, 1799, St. Petersburg, Russia - June 23, 1852, Mantsiana, Papal Region) - Russian artist, painter, muralist, watercolorist, representative of classicism and romanticism.
The son of the academician of ornamental sculpture P. I. Brullo. In 1809-1822 he studied at the Academy of Arts with A.I. Ivanov, A.E. Egorov, V.K. Shebuev. From 1822 to 1834, as a pensioner of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists, he lived and worked in Italy, where he painted The Last Day of Pompeii (1830-1833), which was awarded the Grand Prix in Paris. At the same time he created a number of portraits, including the painting "Horsewoman" (1832), which brought him great fame. In 1835 he traveled to Greece and Turkey, during which he performed a number of graphic works. In the same year he returned to Russia, until 1836 he lived in Moscow, where he met A. S. Pushkin, then moved to St. Petersburg. In 1836-1849 he taught at the Academy of Arts. He executed a number of portraits of figures of Russian culture, including N. V. Kukolnik (1836), I. P. Vitali (1837), I. A. Krylov (1839). He was friends with M. I. Glinka and N. V. Kukolnik. In 1843-1847, he took part in paintings for the Kazan and St. Isaac's Cathedrals in St. Petersburg (completed by P.V. Basin). Due to illness in 1849 he left for the island of Madeira. During his life there, he completed a large number of watercolor portraits of his friends and acquaintances (“Riders. Portrait of E. I. Mussar and E. Mussar”, 1849). From 1850 he lived in Italy. He was a member of the Milan and Parma Academies, as well as the Academy of St. Luke in Rome.
The work of K. P. Bryullov became the pinnacle of late Russian romanticism, when the feeling of harmonious wholeness and beauty of the world was replaced by a sense of tragedy and conflict in life, an interest in strong passions, extraordinary themes and situations. The historical picture again comes to the fore, but now its main theme is not the struggle of heroes, as in classicism, but the fate of huge human masses. In his central work, The Last Day of Pompeii, Bryullov combined the drama of action, romantic lighting effects and sculptural, classically perfect plasticity of figures. The painting brought the artist great fame both in Russia and in Europe.
An outstanding master of both ceremonial and chamber portraits, Bryullov made in his work an evolution indicative of the era of romanticism - from the joyful acceptance of the life of early works ("Horsewoman", 1832) to the complicated psychologism of later ones ("Self-Portrait", 1848), anticipating the achievements of the masters of the second half a century, for example, such as I. E. Repin (“Portrait of M. P. Mussorgsky”, 1881). Bryullov had a huge influence on Russian artists, among whom he had many followers and imitators.
On the monument of the sculptor M. O. Mikeshin "The Millennium of Russia", erected in Novgorod in 1862, K. P. Bryullov is depicted among 16 figures of writers and artists of the Russian state from ancient times to the middle of the 19th century.
Brother Alexander Bryullov, architect, representative of romanticism.
Childhood. Studying at the Academy
Karl Brullo. Self-portrait. OK. 1813-1816
Karl Bryullov was born on December 23, 1799 in St. Petersburg in the family of Pavel Ivanovich Brullo (Brulleau, 1760-1833) and his wife Maria Ivanovna Schroeder, who had German roots. In addition to him, the family had three more sons and two daughters.
From early childhood, despite his illness, Karl, at the behest of his father, who wanted to teach the boy painting, mastered the skills necessary for his future profession: he painted people and animals from different angles, and from 1805, when Pavel Ivanovich retired, he often helped him in work on the design of the Kronstadt church and on various other orders.
In October 1809, the boy was enrolled in state support at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, where he studied until 1821. Among his teachers was AI Ivanov. Karl quickly established himself as a brilliant, versatile student, easily coped with all educational tasks, thanks to which he won universal love. In high school, the young man often helped his classmates, correcting their exam papers for a small fee. Subsequently, Karl received a gold medal in the class of historical painting.
The first significant work of Bryullov was the canvas "Genius of Art" (1817-1820, State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg), created in accordance with academic requirements and recognized by the Academic Council as a model for copying. In 1819, the young artist created another famous painting, Narcissus Looking into the Water, which A.I. Ivanov bought for his collection. Now it is stored in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
First trip to Italy. Italian period of life (1823-1835)
K. P. Bryullov. Self-portrait. 1823
In 1821, Bryullov graduated from the Academy and, as a graduation work, painted the painting “The Appearance of Three Angels to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre”, for which he received a large gold medal and the right to a pensioner's trip abroad. But the president of the Academy, A. N. Olenin, insisted that the young artist stay at the Academy for another three years to improve his skills, appointing him as mentors the little gifted artist A. I. Ermolaev, who did not enjoy authority among students. Bryullov's request to replace the teacher was rejected. Then Karl refused a pensioner's trip. At that very time, the Society for the Encouragement of Artists (OPKh), recently created by well-known patrons of the time, drew attention to the painter and, in order to make sure of his talent, offered him to perform several works on programmatic topics, promising in return to pay for a trip abroad. The result of this proposal was two paintings by Bryullov "Oedipus and Antigone" (1821, Tyumen Museum of Local Lore) and "Repentance of Polynices" (1821, location unknown), after which he was invited to go abroad to improve his skills. In return, he was obliged to write detailed reports on his impressions and the results of the study of works of art, as well as to submit new works. Karl agreed and, together with his brother Alexander, left for Italy on August 16, 1822. Until 1822, Karl and Alexander Bryullov bore the name of their ancestors Bryullo. It was in connection with this trip that the surname of the two brothers was Russified, having received a Russian ending in the Highest Decree, which gave permission from Emperor Alexander I for their artistic trip abroad.
In May 1823, the Bryullov brothers arrived in Rome, visiting Riga, Koenigsberg, Berlin, Dresden, Munich, Venice, Padua, Verona, Mantua and Bologna along the way. Literally immediately after arriving in Rome, the artist received an order from the OPH to make a copy of Raphael's fresco "The School of Athens", which became the last student work of the painter.
Upon arrival in Italy, Bryullov became interested in genre painting and, along with paintings on historical and religious subjects, began to write works on this topic, drawing inspiration from the reality around him. The first successful work in this genre was the painting "Italian Morning" (1823, Kunsthalle, Kiel). Seeing it in St. Petersburg, contemporaries were amazed at the original interpretation of the plot and the freshness of the letter, and Emperor Nicholas I, after the OPH presented him with this picture, granted Bryullov a diamond ring and instructed him to write a picture to match it. She was the work “Italian Noon (Italian Woman Harvesting Grapes)” (1827, State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg), however, neither the emperor nor the OPH liked it because, by all accounts, the plot was inappropriate from the point of view of high art. In response to criticism, Bryullov broke off relations with the OPH in 1829.
In addition to large canvases of genre painting, in 1827 the artist became interested in creating watercolors - small-sized works that became a good opportunity for the master to convey life observations. Because of their themes, these works were called "Italian genre", since they were most often ordered by aristocrats as a souvenir from Italy and were intended to serve entertaining and decorative purposes. However, in addition to custom-made watercolors, Bryullov also wrote completely independent works in this genre. All of them were distinguished by airiness, sunshine, lightness, plot development, idyllicity, in some cases - the author's irony over his characters ("The Nun's Dream", 1831, State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg). As a rule, the artist painted watercolors using large laconic color spots, achieving expressiveness with their contrasting combinations. His first works were small-figured and mainly conveyed the personal experiences of the characters (“Interrupted Date”, 1827, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow); later they began to include an increasing number of people (“Walking in Albano”, 1830-1833, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow), landscape began to play an important role in them. Some watercolors were purely landscape paintings (The Itom Valley before a Thunderstorm, 1835, Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow). A common drawback of these works was, perhaps, only the absence of psychological interpretations in the images, but the laws of the genre often did not imply the presence of such in watercolors. Most of them glorified Italy with its beautiful nature and represented the Italians as a people who genetically preserved the ancient beauty of their ancestors, endowed with innate plasticity and grace of movements and postures and living according to the laws of beauty and aesthetics.
But true fame and popularity in Italy was brought to the young artist by his portraits of representatives of the Italian nobility and his compatriots. Not the last role in Bryullov's decision to break off relations with the OPH was played by the presence of many orders at that time, which allowed him to do without financial support from the outside. Bryullov's portraits of the Italian period were distinguished by a combination of elements of classicism, realism and baroque, the desire to convey the inner life of the heroes - sometimes through an abundance of everyday details, designed to more fully reveal the heroes of the canvases and the world in which they live. Sometimes his work was somewhat decorative due to the emphasized sophistication of the furnishings and the depicted models. This feature was preserved in some portraits of the late period of the painter's work.
In 1830, Bryullov began work on a large painting with a historical plot - "The Last Day of Pompeii" (1830-1833), commissioned to him by Anatoly Nikolaevich Demidov. The idea of the picture was connected with the fashion for archeology that arose at that time and with the relevance: in 1828, Vesuvius erupted. For a more accurate and complete transmission of the tragedy, Bryullov carefully studied numerous literary sources that told about the ancient catastrophe, and visited the excavations in Pompeii and Herculaneum and made a number of sketches of the landscape, ruins, and petrified figures on the spot. It is known that the canvas depicts a part of the Street of the Tombs, which the artist depicted standing with his back to the city gates. By the same time, he met Yu. P. Samoilova, an aristocrat from the Skavronsky family, relatives of Empress Catherine I. the unfinished painting "Bathsheba" (1832, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow), with which the artist summed up his creative quest, is also associated with this stage in Bryullov's life.
Return to Russia. Petersburg period (1836-1849)
The painting "The Last Day of Pompeii" was completed in 1833 and made a real sensation in Europe and Russia. For Russian painting, this work was an innovation, primarily because of the plot, which depicted not an outstanding historical figure, but a whole people in the hours of tragedy. Emperor Nicholas I, seeing the picture, wished to personally see Bryullov in St. Petersburg and gave him the order to return to his homeland. However, before returning, the painter accepted the invitation of Count V.P. Davydov to take part in a trip to Asia Minor, Greece and the Ionian Islands. In Athens, Bryullov fell seriously ill with yellow fever, because of which he was forced to part with his companions. Having recovered a little, the painter went through Asia Minor to Constantinople, where he was awaited by a new order from the emperor to immediately arrive in St. Petersburg to take the place of professor at the Imperial Academy of Arts. Finally, in 1836, Bryullov returned to St. Petersburg through Odessa and Moscow. The stay in Moscow, where the painter arrived in December 1835, dragged on for several months: Moscow met Bryullov as a hero, arranging receptions in his honor. At one of these evenings, the artist met A. S. Pushkin. Another event was his acquaintance with the famous Moscow portrait painter, former serf V. A. Tropinin: back in Italy, Bryullov had heard a lot about him. The acquaintance grew into a strong friendship: during his stay in Moscow, Bryullov, who highly appreciated both the talent and professionalism of the artist, and his personal qualities, often visited Tropinin, more than once neglecting the next ceremonial dinner arranged in his honor. However, in addition to attending receptions and visiting Tropinin's house, Bryullov continued to work on new works, creating portraits of the poet A. K. Tolstoy, his uncle A. A. Perovsky (writer Anthony Pogorelsky) and a very poetic and romantic painting "Fortune-telling Svetlana" ( 1836, Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum), inspired by the ballad of the same name by V. A. Zhukovsky.
In St. Petersburg, the painter was expected by a solemn reception at the Academy of Arts and the triumph of "The Last Day of Pompeii". By the time he arrived, the painting had been in Paris (Louvre, 1834), where it was coldly received by Parisian critics, despite the fact that it won first prize at the Paris Salon of 1834: it was (already!) the era of Delacroix and French romanticism. The painting was donated by Demidov to Nicholas I, who placed it in the Imperial Hermitage and then donated it to the Academy of Arts. It is currently in the Russian Museum.
And became "The Last Day of Pompeii"For the Russian brush, the first day.
E. A. Baratynsky
Karl Bryullov in the painting by V. A. Tropinin, 1836
From 1836 to 1849 Bryullov lived and worked in St. Petersburg. Immediately upon his return to the capital, he was awarded the title of junior (second degree) professor of the Academy of Arts, was entrusted with the leadership of the history class of the Academy and was asked to paint a large picture on a theme from Russian history, approved by the Academy and approved by the emperor, to receive the title of senior professor. Such a picture was supposed to be "The Siege of Pskov by the Polish King Stefan Batory in 1581" (1839-1843, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow). Bryullov and the artist-archaeologist F. G. Solntsev, who accompanied him, visited Pskov by order of the emperor, where the artist made many sketches from nature and studied the preserved antiquities. However, the picture remained unfinished, despite such a thorough approach to its creation.
In St. Petersburg, Bryullov's fame as a virtuoso fashionable portraitist was consolidated. Many considered it an honor to be captured by the famous master. Numerous ceremonial portraits of the Russian nobility and the so-called. "intimate-chamber portraits" of outstanding people of their time, distinguished by a deeper and more meaningful interpretation of the image of the model. Among the most successful and famous works of this genre are portraits of N. V. Kukolnik (1836, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow), V. A. Zhukovsky (1837-1838), I. A. Krylov (1839, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow ), Yu. P. Samoilova with a pupil (another name for the painting “Masquerade”) (1839, State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg), writer A. N. Strugovshchikov (1840, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow), brother A. P. Bryullov (1841, State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg) and many others; the creation of the famous "Self-portrait" (1848, State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow) belongs to the same time.
In 1837, Zhukovsky turned to Bryullov with a request to paint his portrait for the imperial family in order to use the proceeds to ransom Taras Shevchenko from serfdom. Bryullov willingly agreed, and the portrait of Zhukovsky, with the help of Count M. Yu. Vielgorsky, was raffled off in the court lottery, which brought 2,500 rubles necessary for the release of Shevchenko. On April 22, 1838, Shevchenko received his freedom and entered the Academy of Arts, later becoming one of Bryullov's favorite students.
Bryullov also tried himself in the genre of monumental and decorative painting, painting the Lutheran church on Nevsky Prospekt.
He was a member of the "Chosen Michael" lodge.
Last years
K. P. Bryullov in the painting by F. S. Zavyalov, 1844
In 1843, Bryullov, among the best painters of the academic school, received an invitation to participate in the painting of St. Isaac's Cathedral. He was asked to paint the plafond of the large dome with the figures of the apostles, evangelists and a series of paintings on the theme of "The Passion of Christ". The artist began to work on sketches with great interest. By 1848 they were completed, and Bryullov began painting himself. However, the hard work in the damp, unfinished cathedral undermined the already poor health of the painter, giving heart complications and exacerbating rheumatism, so already in February the artist asked for release from work. His request was granted. By this time, he had already painted almost all the main figures of the plafond, so that P. V. Basin, who was finishing his work, had only to finish the background and create several paintings to decorate the central space of the temple based on Bryullov’s cardboards.
On April 27, 1849, at the insistence of doctors, Bryullov left Russia and went through Poland, Prussia, Belgium, England and Portugal for treatment to the island of Madeira. In the same year, the artist returned to Italy, and in the spring and summer of 1850 he visited Spain, studying the paintings of Velázquez and Goya. In the same year, Bryullov finally returned to Italy. At this time, the artist met Garibaldi's colleague A. Tittoni, in whose house he practically lived the last years of his life. Most of Bryullov's later portraits and watercolors are still in the family's private collection. Many of the works of this period are characterized by a certain theatrical and romantic excitement of the images, as well as the desire to capture the spirit of the time itself through the images presented, turning them into accurate historical evidence. The last masterpiece of the artist was a portrait of his old friend, archaeologist Michelangelo Lanci, created in 1851.
Karl Pavlovich Bryullov died on June 11, 1852, at the age of 52, in the town of Mantsiana near Rome, where he was treated with mineral waters. According to the testimony of the Russian representative in Rome, death occurred three hours after the attack of asphyxiation.
The artist was buried in the Protestant cemetery of Monte Testaccio, according to the Lutheran rite.
Personal life
For many years, Bryullov was associated with Countess Yulia Samoilova, who was his muse and model.
In 1838, Bryullov met 18-year-old Emilia Timm, the daughter of the Riga burgomaster Georg Friedrich Timm, and fell in love with her. On January 27, 1839, they got married, however, a month later the couple broke up forever. Emilia left with her parents for Riga, the divorce proceedings initiated by Bryullov continued until 1841. The reason for the breakup remained unknown to the St. Petersburg society, which blamed her husband for everything. Bryullov, slandered, according to him, by his wife and her relatives, became an outcast. Researchers claim that the true reason for the breakup was Emilia's relationship with one of her close relatives, which continued after her marriage. Probably, Bryullov found out about the infidelity of the bride before the wedding itself, which nevertheless took place under pressure from Emilia's parents. During this difficult time for the artist, he was supported by Samoilova, who came from Italy to St. Petersburg.
Ratings
Bryullov was a contemporary of Delacroix and Ingres. “The Raft of the Medusa” by Géricault was written in 1819, “The Massacre at Chioss” - in 1824, and “Freedom on the Barricades” - in 1830. Thus, thematically, Bryullov’s work was not news - it fits perfectly into the academic system to which he belonged Bryullov. In Bryullov's portraits there is a certain impulsiveness and elusive movement, they are pleasant and not dark in color. The melancholy that permeates his later portraits brings Bryullov closer to the romantics.
The attitude towards the artist's heritage in the cultural environment is ambiguous. A. S. Pushkin, N. V. Gogol, A. A. Fet and many others admired the work of the master, while I. S. Turgenev condemned decorativeness and abstract romanticism in Bryullov’s work. By his definition, Bryullov wrote " crackling pictures with effects, but without poetry and without content ..."(I. S. Turgenev. Collected Works. T. 10. - M. 1949. - S. 258).
Gallery of famous works
Italian morning, 1823. Kunsthalle, Kiel, Germany
Italian afternoon
Girl picking grapes near Naples, 1827. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
The last day of Pompeii, 1830-1833. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
Rider, 1832. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Portrait of M. A. Beck, 1840. National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia
Portrait of Countess Yulia Pavlovna Samoilova, leaving the ball with her adopted daughter Amazilia Paccini (Masquerade). Not later than 1842. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
