All the achievements and successes of Karl Bryullov in the portrait field were recognized as undeniable and the best. These works were recognized even by the harshest critics, such as Vladimir Stasov And Alexander Benois . Karl's contemporaries considered it a great happiness and joy to have a portrait of Karl Bryullov or one of his works. Throughout his life, the master created a large number of paintings and watercolor portraits. He started his creative career still in St. Petersburg, before leaving for Italy.

In Italy, Bryullov masters many types of different portrait genre. This included from ceremonial equestrian to small-format watercolor portrait. For example, portraits G.N. And V.A. Olenins, which were painted by the master in 1827 and a portrait K.A. And M.Ya. Naryshkins, which was also written in 1827. Karl Bryullov managed to perfectly master the technique of watercolor, bringing his skill to perfection. Jewelry delicacy and precision give his works the quality of a precious heirloom, which only fuels the interest and pride of the owners.

One of the master’s masterpieces is, later it was believed that it was M.G. Razumovskaya. The painting was painted in 1830. The girl's face is depicted in the most subtle way, using miniature technique. The red, white and gold turban was painted quite widely and freely. The hand pattern is transparently covered in almost the same tone. The author paid tribute to romantic orientalism, which created the fashion for oriental shawls, turbans, etc. Thus, a certain elegant naturalness of the pose was created, transforming this exoticism into a phenomenon of high style. There is also a romantic taste that appreciates the beauty of incompleteness. The shoulders, clothing and drapery of the shawl are characteristically shown; they can barely be read in the weightless pencil contours. Ceremonial portrait is most susceptible to the traditionalism of etiquette norms of secular “vestity”, which ensure the festive solemnity of the model’s self-demonstration to the viewer.

Karl Bryullov always managed to come up with a real, genre motivation for the condition of his model, for example: a horsewoman returns from a walk, the Shishmarev sisters go on a horse ride, Samoilova leaves the ball, Saltykova sits down to rest, as if before going into the living room, where she will take on the role of a kind hostess , or, for example, Madame Beck brings her baby into the living room to show. Dealing mostly with portraits of private individuals, Bryullov had to find such formulas and rules of ceremonial representation in reality itself, but it was also necessary to give them everyday persuasiveness.

All this can be seen in the picture "Rider", which was written in 1832 year. This picture was specially written for Countess Yulia Samoilova, who was at permanent residence in Italy, in Milan, she had a rather luxurious villa. The painting depicts pupils Giovannina and Amacilija Pacini. Bryullov's passion for Samoilova, who was particularly eccentric, rich, leading an independent and free lifestyle, was reflected in several works of Karl Bryullov.

This work by Karl Bryullov is considered one of his best works, which were made in ceremonial style. In the portrait you can see Yu.P. Samoilov with Giovanni Pacini and a blackamoor, the painting was painted in 1832-1834. The heroine of the picture almost runs into the room, smiles happily and cheerfully at the viewer, with a careless movement throws the shawl into the hands of the blackamoor, at the same time hugging Giovannina, who is looking at her with admiration and admiration.

Karl Bryullov wrote precisely about this work of his in a letter to Alexander Turgenev in 1832. “Mrs. Samoilova flew here from Naples, I found her in one of the shops.”. Bryullov depicted her in the position of a running beauty with a blackamoor and her pupil. He wrote about this in a letter to his friend. He painted a new portrait of Yu.P. in St. Petersburg. Samoilova leaving the ball, which was published in 1839. The portrait was taken when Samoilova came to Russia in order to take possession of the inheritance that Count Julius Lita left her. This painting was an excellent completion of Karl’s series of works, which were dedicated to the famous beauty.

Apparently an awakening creative imagination Bryullov was stimulated by that side of life where there is festive and bright life. He found himself in a world where excitement reigns and where there is a lot of luxury and bliss. But this is also a world of immediate feelings and free movements of the soul, in which a feeling of the fullness and beauty of life is manifested, so to speak, synonymous with the world of his Italian paintings. The fact that he was not at all attracted to official significance and solemnity, apparently, lies the reason why Bryullov not only did not become a court portrait painter, but tried by all possible, and sometimes risky, means to avoid such roles. The courage with which he avoided the need to paint the emperor himself was remembered by many contemporaries.

Bryullov took advantage of Nikolai’s lateness to his workshop: “... took his hat and left the courtyard, ordering him to tell the sovereign if he arrived: Karl Pavlovich was expecting your majesty, but, knowing that you are never late, he concluded that something had delayed you, and that you postponed the session until another time". Twenty minutes after the appointed time, the sovereign came to Bryullov’s workshop, accompanied by Grigorovich, was amazed that he did not find Bryullov at home, and, after listening to... an explanation of the matter, said to Grigorovich: “What an impatient man!” After this, of course, there was never any more talk about the portrait. He almost demonstratively abandoned work on the portrait of Alexandra Feodorovna on a horseback ride after the empress canceled several sessions. Purely artistic instinct seemed to force Bryullov to distance himself from the court environment.

Among the master’s works there is a portrait of his friend, the famous fabulist I. Krylov. The portrait was painted in 1839. On it, Ivan Krylov is 70 years old. The portrait was painted quickly - in one session.

In the very nature of Karl Bryullov’s pomp lies something completely contradictory. His balancing on the brink of a genre scene creates the danger of losing truly portrait tasks. Portrait of M.L. Beck with his daughter, which was written in 1840 year, demonstrates this fact with great clarity.

If in the 18th century the conventionally selected surroundings occupied a subordinate position in relation to the person being portrayed, it played the role of commentary and the function of decorative accompaniment, then in the named portrait the luxurious furnishings of the living room, painted with Bryullov’s usual colorful brightness, convincingness in the rendering of precious velvets, bronze, marble, becomes an equal object of viewer attention and interest. The heroine of the portrait appears before us as a touching and caring mother.

Ceremonial portraits.

The main difference between formal portraits and all intimate ones is manifested in a certain contemplative self-absorption. Without fearing anachronism, we can say that these are “long exposure” portraits. Demonstration is a kind of invisible hobby of Karl Bryullov.

It doesn’t disappear in these paintings either; it is present here too. But it is here that she manages to acquire a certain new quality. Communication with the viewer is almost always assumed, only this is a different atmosphere, a different society and other forms of communication compared to the portraits of the 18th century. Something from his circle, and not the standard smiling courtesy prescribed by the norms of secular etiquette.

Performing scenic portrait of I.P. Vitali was preceded by a drawing made in Moscow, which depicted the sculptor in a robe, with protruding cowlicks. It was shown in a homely atmosphere. The same appearance of a good-natured fat man is combined in a picturesque portrait with touching expression concentrated attentiveness, which should present us with an artist who is biasedly peering at his own creation. On the face of the main character of the portrait you can notice some deliberateness. It seems that Karl forced the man to play a role that was not his. Although there is nothing more natural than using the rather traditional “artist in the studio” motif when depicting a fellow artist.

Vitali peers at the bust of Bryullov he made, which appeared before him on a stand. Such a plot here is not without wit, hinting at creative union sculpture and painting. The fact that Bryullov composed a kind of program for a pictorial portrait, indicating that Vitali belonged to the guild of artists, is very typical of Bryullov’s portrait method, which always sought, as Gogol put it, to show a person “in the supreme grace of his nature,” that is, elevated above everyday prose .

Portrait of N.V. Puppeteer, which was written in 1836, is a kind of exemplary example of Bryullov’s portrait method. It is known that romantic artists turned most to portraiture when the model was from a close circle: artist friends or writers, when freedom of expression could be obtained, since in this case the traditional norms of relationships with customers lost their compulsory obligation.

Representatives of “typical” romantics can also include Alexandra Strugovshchikova in the portrait, which was painted in 1840. The portrait depicts one of the representatives of the literary workshop, a poet and translator German literature. The person depicted in the portraits translated Goethe, including Faust. Belinsky, in one of his letters in 1838, wrote about Strugovshchikov: “He has talent, he translates Goethe well.” Strugovshchikov made a special sketch of Pushkin on his deathbed in the poet’s apartment. He belonged to a generation of young people who lived in the post-Decembrist era; he was completely a “man of the forties” - the era of “thought and reason.” This was a generation that understood everything perfectly.

The porter was written as a kind of justification for Glinka’s friendship with Kukolnikov. And also, perhaps, for their participation in the “puppet fraternity.” “...The critics were right in that the entire puppeteer company did not introduce a single new strong thought into our literature, did not develop a single healthy social principle, just as the living rooms of our patrons, with their Zhukovskys and Vyazemskys, did not do this. But literary influence the latter in the periods of 1820 and 1830 was due to a different environment. The pogrom of December 14 took away the hunt for a long time advanced people society to interfere in domestic policy our lives, and the very paths to that were blocked.”

Strugovshchikov’s portrait simply brings to us the lines of Pushkin: “They beat Zorya... the Old Dante falls out of my hands, On my lips the verse begun, unread, has died down - The spirit flies far away.”

Self-portrait, which was written in 1848 year, is one of the best self-portraits of the master. “Small, plump, with a good-natured laughing face, Bryullov looked more like a carefree landowner than a great artist, but when he spoke about art, it was now noticeable that a sacred fire was burning in him” - this is exactly how the homeland of the great artist and painter saw it. It is worth noting the enviable fearlessness in the use of the expression “sacred fire,” which seems to modern ears to be lofty. Perhaps, in the context of the skills of rhetorical culture that had not yet been lost at that time, it also made it possible to clearly distinguish, without mixing, the levels of competence of low and high syllables.

Of course, it is necessary for viewers to be able to recognize references various kinds, and they also need skill and knowledge of artistic precedents. In this regard, it is appropriate to recall that the art of the first half of the 19th century century had such a viewer in mind and was addressed specifically to him.

Bryullov painted several group portraits. Despite all the individual differences, Bryullov’s creative aspiration for the genreization of a group portrait was ideologically close to the art of A. Venetsianov, who at that time created a portrait of his family at breakfast.

Description of Bryullov’s painting “Self-Portrait”

What would I say about myself if I had this opportunity? What if I had guessed that my descendants, and those who like me, and even those who might not like me, could read this? The truth, or what I would like to see as the truth? A self-portrait is very similar to an autobiography.
Both there and there the viewer looks and evaluates.
For someone, I would try to be better than I really am, which means the truth would suffer.
But my pride and vanity would receive consolation.

In front of me is a picture of Bryullov, where he is depicted already at a decent age, when a person has personal goals, some of them have already come true, there are aspirations and passions, because an artist cannot write without emotions.
What is he saying about himself here? How could I see him?

The main attention of everyone who looks at the artist’s self-portrait is drawn to the face and hand of the already middle-aged Karl Pavlovich Bryullov.
His eyes, conveyed with incredible clarity, speak both of the suffering that the creator saw and of something elusively airy, something like a dance of thoughts that hover around.
I can’t even believe that in the eyes of the one who gave the world so much beauty, there will be such unimaginable sadness.
The eyes are filled with silence, calmness and intelligence.
They, passing through the years, penetrate into every soul that looks at them.
They ask questions that everyone can answer if they look within themselves.

Hand! For an artist, it is like a tool that he uses skillfully.
After all, sometimes everyone can see something beautiful that they want to hold in their memory.
But will it be possible to convey all the colors and shapes on the canvas?
This is probably why people invented cameras, because not everyone can even retell what they saw.
A. Bryullov could draw, noticing the details, clearly conveying the qualities of the image he was looking at.
It was the hands of the great artist that were so strong and strong, despite the external frailty, that they obeyed their master.
They could make the world more beautiful with one move.
Both poets with their words and artists with their paintings enrich souls and hearts!

For more than 50 years, art historians were absolutely sure that the portrait by Karl Bryullov depicted a certain Ulyana Smirnova. Moreover, the sketch for the portrait had a corresponding inscription. However, it was never possible to find out who this girl was. And it’s not surprising: no Ulyana Smirnova ever existed.

Portraitist

Undoubtedly, Karl Bryullov was an outstanding painter of his time. And recognition came to him not only thanks to the masterpiece “The Last Day of Pompeii”, but also thanks to his portraits. Many famous personalities   XIX century wanted to be the artist's sitters. It was Bryullov who painted the portraits of the architect Ton, the bibliographer and friend of Pushkin Sobolevsky, the geographer Chikhachev, the writer Kukolnik, the poet and prose writer Alexei Tolstoy and others.

Therefore, it seems even more strange that at the end of the 1830s, in one of his paintings, Bryullov depicted an unknown girl with a dog in her arms. Until the mid-twentieth century, this painting was simply called “Portrait of a Woman.”

At Smirnov's

In the second half of the last century, the girl finally found a name. He was suggested to art historians by a sketch for the portrait, which was signed “At Smirnov’s.” This inscription became the basis for the assumption that the picture depicts a certain Ulyana Smirnova. Moreover, Ulyana even had a middle name, designated by just one letter “M”. From that moment on, in all sources the painting began to appear as “Portrait of U. M. Smirnova.”

The established myth about the existence of Ulyana Smirnova was dispelled only in 2018. That is, after at least 170 years, experts were lucky enough to finally unravel the mystery of the portrait of Karl Bryullov.

Punctuation mark and dog

The first to come close to the truth was an employee of the Russian Museum, where the masterpiece is kept to this day, Sergei Alekseev. The art critic doubted that “U” is the initial letter of the heroine’s name, since there was no dot after it. As a result of the research and study of various archival documents, Alekseev came to the conclusion that the inscription “At Smirnov’s” should be taken literally, because the painting was in the possession of a collector with a similar surname.

As for the girl depicted on the canvas, thanks comparative analysis It was possible to establish the identity of the mysterious stranger. She turned out to be none other than the daughter of Emperor Nicholas I, Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna. The girl lived only until she was 19 years old and died after premature birth. She was the emperor's favorite, and many artists managed to capture her image on canvas. This version was confirmed after comparison “ Portrait of a woman” with other works. These include, for example, Christina Robertson, who worked for many years at the court of Nicholas I. In addition, the dog, which Robertson also immortalized, helped “identify” the princess.

216 years since the birth of Karl Bryullov.
The post turned out to be voluminous in content, but I really wanted to tell as much and as accessible as possible about it. difficult life. He was considered the emperor's favorite, a kind of darling of fate, but this is far from the case... I really hope that you will like the story about him and perhaps you will learn a lot of new things about this wonderful and talented artist.

Part 1.

“I lived in such a way as to live in the world only forty years. Instead of forty, I lived fifty, therefore, I stole ten years from eternity, and I have no right to complain about fate. My life can be likened to a candle that was burned at both ends and kept red-hot in the middle "pincers"

Karl Pavlovich Bryullov is a Russian painter, professor at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, honorary member of the Milan, Bologna, Florence, and Parma academies, who went down in the history of Russian culture as a brilliant representative of the golden age. Born on December 12/23, 1799 in St. Petersburg. His ancestors were Russified immigrants from France. The artist's real name was "Brullo". In the 18th century, great-grandfather Georg Brullo came to the capital Russian Empire Petersburg, where he began working as a modeler at the Imperial Porcelain Factory. The father of the future painter Pavel Ivanovich was gifted with various talents, was engaged in wood carving and miniature painting. Thanks to his successes, in 1793 he was elected academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and taught in the class of ornamental sculpture. Pavel Bryullov was married twice. From his first marriage, his son Fedor, from his second marriage with the daughter of the court gardener Maria Ivanovna Schroeder, four sons were born - Alexander , Karl, Pavel, Ivan and two daughters - Maria and Yulia. They were all talented, and their sons became famous artists... Little Karl was sick a lot.

Until he was 7 years old, he almost never got out of bed. But his father was very strict with him, and forced him to draw the required number of figures, horses, along with the rest of his brothers. If Karl could not or did not have time to do this, then the least punishment for him was to be left without food. And once, for such an offense, the father hit the child so hard that Bryullov remained deaf in one ear for the rest of his life. The father considered his third, Karl, to be the most unfortunate, and although Karl was ahead of his brothers in talent, he was not a match for them in conscientiousness and efficiency.
“Karl won’t be any good,” said the father.
And from my point of view, he was right...

Karl was sent to the Academy of Arts very early, at the age of 10.

All his brothers studied in the same place where their father taught. But even at the same time, Karl was far ahead of his classmates, almost twice as old. His comrades did not envy him. They loved him, but to all praise he answered:
- Brother Sashka is talented, but what am I...
He secretly corrected the drawings for the whole class. As payment there was a rush with honey or a cheesecake - he really loved sweets. He especially liked to have people read aloud to him while he worked. Grateful students gladly cooperated; over time, drawing while reading became a habit that the artist retained throughout his life. Teachers recognized his hand and used to say to students:
- Well, brother, in this third, Brullo wants to give his medal to you?
The painting "Genius of Art" is one of the first program drawings by Karl Bryullov.

This work was awarded a silver medal from the Academy. Written in chalk
pastel, charcoal on paper. Located in the State Russian Museum of St. Petersburg.
"Model"

The sitters at the Academy of Arts loved working with Karl Bryullov. One of them recalled:
- Karl Pavlovich is a very sincere person. It will never hurt. Sometimes he would put me in a pose. Doesn't take a palette. And so he walks around for about ten minutes, looking at everything. Then he will say: “Well, go rest!” I'll take a walk around the studio, then look into the canvas - fathers! The whole torso is already painted there. But you didn’t even have to pose!
No one doubted that after the Academy he would be sent to Italy, as befits gold medalists. In 1819, Karl completed one of his best student paintings, “Narcissus Looking into the Water.” /State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg/

Literally two years after the creation of this painting, Bryullov wrote his graduation work “The Appearance of Three Angels to Abraham at the Mauryan Oak” / State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg /,

for which he received a large gold medal and the right to a retirement trip abroad. But that year there were no funds at the Academy. And young Brullo was invited to stay beyond his stipend for another three years at the Academy “for further improvement.” Much to his father's indignation, Karl refused. The prospects became dim. But then the Society for the Encouragement of Russian Artists intervened, wishing to send the promising young man to Europe at their own expense. Karl unexpectedly put forward the condition that he would go only with his older brother Alexander:

My father says that perhaps nothing will come of me, but my brother will certainly become an artist!
The daring request was granted by assigning each of the brothers five thousand rubles a year. In turn, setting the condition: the brothers will change their surname to a Russian one - the Bryullovs, otherwise what kind of encouragement would this be for Russian artists! And then the day came when Karl and Alexander boarded a covered stagecoach on large, human-sized red wheels. They were seen off
the whole family. The elder brother Fyodor, who graduated from the Academy 7 years ago and also once dreamed of Italy, looked at his brothers with exaggerated cheerfulness and joy. The younger brother Ivan, just a boy, climbed onto the box out of mischief. The mother cried. And even the father, feeling emotional, kissed those departing goodbye. The brothers left for four years, but for Karl they lasted almost fourteen. The first thing the Bryullovs did was rent a cheap workshop in Rome. A carefree life began: walking, modeling... But brother Alexander eventually came to his senses and got to work. Karl spent his life merrily month after month. The Society for the Encouragement of Artists could not get an answer from him: when will he write anything! And only when the threat of losing his boarding school hung over him like a thundercloud did Karl finally take up his brush.

Painting "Italian morning"

Bryullov sent to Russia. In St. Petersburg she was very warmly received by her contemporaries. The Society for the Encouragement of Artists presented the work to the emperor. He immediately presented Bryullov with a diamond ring and instructed him to paint a pair of paintings for it. It became “Italian Afternoon”./ State Russian Museum. Petersburg./

The customer did not like the work. The unflattering reception of the painting and the need to justify himself forced the artist to make a decision that led to sharp turn in his destiny. Bryullov sends a letter to St. Petersburg in which he politely refuses the Society's further pension.
- I don’t owe anyone, I don’t owe anyone!
From now on, for the first time in his life, he is truly free. Once his brother Alexander invited him to the excavations of the city of Pompeii, where he was working on another order - he was completing a series of drawings of public baths in this ancient city, inch by inch liberated from the ground through the efforts of archaeologists. Almost eighteen centuries have passed since Pompeii was destroyed by the awakened Vesuvius, falling asleep with ashes and hot stones.

Everything was buried: streets, houses, fountains, craft shops, statues, stables, a 5,000-seat theater and people. Nothing remained of them, only voids in the petrified ash in the shape of their bodies.

Karl was amazed by what he saw and from then on he simply “fell ill” with Pompeii. He began to make sketches: frightened horses, antique clothes, people's faces...
- The painting should be two-thirds complete when the artist approaches the canvas! - he often said.
Everything was outlined, lined up, imbued with feelings in the imagination on a huge canvas installed in the workshop. Now is the time to commit.
One of his models for Pompeii was to be the blue-eyed Frenchwoman Adelaide Demulin, with whom he had a fleeting crush. But Adelaide fell in love seriously, and Karl quickly became tired of her heavy, obsessive passion. He ran away and didn’t even read her angry and threatening letters, but threw them unopened into the oven. It all ended badly: abandoned Adelaide
drowned herself in the Tiber. Bryullov's friends cruelly accused him of indifference.
“I didn’t love her,” Karl justified himself, “and I read her last letter only after learning about her death...
Shocked, Karl locked himself in the workshop and did not know how to live after this. And of course he didn’t even think about any new women, or any new love. But it was at that moment that she burst into his life like a whirlwind... the woman of his life... and appeared before the embarrassed Karl: tall, very beautiful, with wild curls, eyes burning like coals and a daring white-toothed smile. Yulia Samoilova. Vesuvius, not a woman!

And a fast, violent, crazy romance began.
“Nothing was done according to the rules between me and Karl,” Julia boldly confessed.
She was faithful to him for no more than a week. And with a light heart she accepted his fleeting betrayals, more like attempts to escape from her, to escape. But no! He was unable to escape from Julia.
“My friend Brishka... I love you more than I can explain, I hug you and I will be spiritually committed to you until the grave. I kiss you and, of course, I will write to you often, because for me it’s happiness to talk with you, even with a pen,” she wrote she told him, rushing off somewhere with her next lover. Be that as it may, she gave Bryullov inspiration. And this fire was enough for him to work on the new painting for all three years. They traveled together through Italy and wandered among the ruins of Pompeii

where Bryullov conceived the idea for his main work... It seemed that the picture was completely finished, and yet Bryullov was dissatisfied. Something was missing.
- For two whole weeks I went to the workshop every day to understand where my calculation was wrong. Sometimes I touched one place, sometimes another. Finally, it seemed to me that the light from the lightning on the pavement was too weak. I illuminated the stones near the warrior’s feet, and the warrior jumped out of the picture. Then I illuminated the entire pavement and saw that my picture was finished.

Karl at that time was definitely very much in love with Julia, if he depicted her on the canvas as many as three times: a woman who fell to her death, prostrate on the pavement and next to her living child center of the canvas,

mother attracting daughters to her,

and in the left corner of the picture a woman with a jug on her head, standing next to the artist, who are trying to escape from the madness reigning around.

Karl finally achieved his goal - at least on this piece of canvas they will remain side by side forever. The painting created a sensation in Italy, where it seemed difficult to surprise anyone with painting. The Florence Academy of Arts immediately invited Bryullov to paint a self-portrait for the Uffizi Gallery - this honor was awarded only to greatest painters of all times. Karl, having eagerly set to work, as usual, quickly cooled down and abandoned the self-portrait unfinished.

In his honor, processions were organized in Rome: the crowd walked with flowers and torches, and carried the artist himself in their arms. News flew to Russia about incredible success. Turgenev, who specially came to Rome to look at Bryullov’s creation, wrote home that “the glory of Russia and Italy /for the Russian painted it in Rome/ attracts crowds of experts and foreigners every day... Seven pamphlets have already been written on this picture: all to Bryullov’s credit ". These brochures were immediately translated into Russian and published in St. Petersburg. Then they took the picture to Paris, where, by the way, they didn’t like it so much: they found it too theatrical. And from there they sent me to Russia. It was intended as a gift to Emperor Nicholas I, but it was hung in the Academy
art for everyone to see. Bryullov’s younger brother Ivan saw her. This young man, a student of the same Academy of Arts, was predicted to have a brilliant future - his pencil drawings They were great, they could draw “like Vanya Bryullov.” Vanya was a cheerful and sociable person - he was given the nickname “imp.” But consumption strangled the blossoming talent. He was only 20 years old. And so the dying Ivan was brought in an armchair from the academic infirmary and left in the hall alone with the painting. He sat before the "Last Day" for two hours and for the first time
I didn’t cough at all for several months - I was so shocked. Honoring Bryullov in the hall of the Academy of Arts was in full swing. Directly under the wall where the painting that made the artist famous hung was a luxurious table. Behind him is the whole flower of Russian art. The poet Baratynsky took the floor:
- You brought peace trophies
With you to your father's canopy,
And it became "The Last Day of Pompeii"
First day for the Russian brush!..
The orchestra struck out. Enthusiastic screams and thunderous applause shook the hall. And here the hero of the occasion wore a laurel wreath dashingly twisted at the back of his head, making him even more like the Greek god Apollo - a beautiful oval face, light curls, eyes shining with happiness and carefreeness. He immediately tore the wreath from his champagne-drenched hair.
and placed it on the head of his beloved teacher Ivanov. Andrei Ivanovich refused the honor of sitting at the table crowned with laurel, deigning to promise that he would keep the wreath given to him until the end of his days. By the end of the holiday, the wreath was successfully stolen. Then Karl saw old man Krylov, sleeping peacefully right at the table amidst the general uproar, and burst into laughter.
- I’ll definitely write it! - Karl decided.
But implementing the idea turned out to be not so easy. Krylov still refused and did not want to pose. Finally, after much persuasion, I finally came to Bryullov. But this was only the beginning of the torment: the old man turned out to be outrageously impatient. He kept groaning, turning around in his chair, trying to change his position and constantly grumbling:
“You won’t finish the portrait anyway, you’ll forget about it tomorrow.” It’s just in vain that you’re torturing me with this seat.
By the time Krylov, completely bored, got up from his chair, only his hand remained unwritten.
“You see, Ivan Andreevich, and you said that I wouldn’t finish your portrait,” said Bryullov. - But all that remains is to make the hand. I’ll paint it from some other model.
- No, Karl Pavlovich, you won’t write! - the fabulist winked slyly. - I bet you won't get it together before I die!
Bryullov’s paintings often remained unfinished: he quickly caught fire and died out just as quickly. The same thing happened with Krylov’s portrait. Karl really forgot about him. And I remembered only after the death of Ivan Andreevich. And even then I didn’t finish it, but gave it to my student. He couldn’t find anything better than to paint the hand from an antique plaster cast. This is how Krylov ended up with a “dead” hand in the portrait.

After writing " Last day Pompeii" Bryullov falls into a creative crisis. The artist simultaneously begins several canvases and does not finish any of them.

Therefore, in May 1835, Karl Pavlovich happily joined the Orlov-Davydov expedition to Greece and Turkey. Impressed by his trip to the east, Karl Pavlovich subsequently wrote several works
"Turkish woman"

"Bakhchisarai Fountain"

"In the Harem"

But soon forced to obey the order of the tsar, he returns to St. Petersburg. It is necessary to begin fulfilling the duties of a professor of the history class at the Academy. The Imperial Academy of Arts, having offered Bryullov leadership of the history class, elevated him to the rank of junior (2nd degree) professor. To receive the title of senior professor, he had to write big picture on a topic approved by the Academy. Probably, the honorary member of many European academies was puzzled by this turn of events. Apparently, The Last Day of Pompeii, written on his own initiative, was not significant enough to receive the title of senior professor. Such was the highest respect for Emperor Nicholas I... The path also lay through Moscow. There Bryullov was so praised, caressed and pampered that he stayed quite a while in Moscow. Meeting with Tropinin, in response to his requests to paint a portrait of this or that person, he says:
- I won’t paint portraits in Moscow. I can’t surpass Vasily Andreevich, but I don’t like to be second.
Pushkin, whom Karl met here in Moscow and whom he liked extremely, wrote to his wife in St. Petersburg: “I saw several drawings he had begun and thought about you, my charm. Will I really not have your portrait, painted by him? Impossible, so that when he sees you, he doesn’t want to copy you.” And so Pushkin, having waited for Bryullov in St. Petersburg, dragged him to dinner with him - in order to introduce him to Natalya Nikolaevna and agree on a portrait.
“I was not in the mood, I didn’t want to go and made excuses for a long time, but he overruled me and dragged me away with him. His children were already asleep. He woke them up and carried them out to me one by one in his arms. This did not suit him, it was sad and painted a picture of strained family happiness for me. I couldn’t resist and asked him: “Why the hell did you marry?”
“I wanted to go abroad, but they didn’t let me in, I found myself in such a situation that I didn’t know what to do, and I got married...” Pushkin justified himself.
As for Natalya Nikolaevna, Bryullov did not like her: her eyes are set close together, and she seems to be squinting. He decided not to paint the portrait, as he later admitted to his friends
- ... refused him because his wife is cross-eyed.
Although I didn’t know how to explain this to Pushkin. However, there was no need to explain - Pushkin fought with Dantes... Bryullov was very upset about Pushkin’s death
- Unhappy Russia, how she doesn’t love her Geniuses! How she thoughtlessly loses them!...
It is interesting that the portrait of Natalya Nikolaevna Pushkina was nevertheless painted by Bryullov. But not Karl, but his brother Alexander.

One day Shishmarev, a friend of many artists, turned to Bryullov with a request to paint his daughters. Bryullov was unusually capricious in his orders and more than once refused to influential and famous people. The portrait of Nicholas I was never painted, despite the Tsar's wishes. The artist felt constrained when he took on official orders and did not paint people he did not like. When starting to paint a new canvas, Bryullov always considered his work not as the fulfillment of an official order, but as a painting of people he knew and liked, for whom he had a special affection. The wonderful “Portrait of the Shishmarev Sisters”

extraordinary bright colors. An outstanding example of a genre portrait...
And again the Bryullov days dragged on in cold, gray St. Petersburg. Bryullov was moping and complaining:
- I won’t write anything here, I’ve grown cold in this climate.
He asked his acquaintances to lobby the sovereign so that he would be sent to Italy again. He agreed, although reluctantly:
- What to do, such talents do not like coercion.
And he ordered Karl to be given 400 rubles for the trip. But somehow he himself did not notice how he lived them. It was still necessary to start working, and in Russia. And what to write when the work of his whole life - “The Last Day of Pompeii” - gutted him too much, took all his soul, all his strength? What and where to live? The illustrious Bryullov had no more answers to these questions than in those days when he had just graduated from the Academy.
But brother Alexander,

By this time, he had long returned to Russia, devoted himself to architecture and achieved great success. Updated Winter Palace, damaged in a fire, built a Lutheran church on Nevsky, Mikhailovsky Theater and much more. In addition, he became a professor at the Academy, married successfully and lived in a rich house with a hall in the Pompeian style. Another brother, Fyodor, lived in his father’s house; he was also a professor at the Academy, but in the class of church painting. He painted icons, frescoes in churches, and also painted the halls of palaces in the Gothic spirit - in a word, he was in great demand. And only he, Karl, the most famous of all the brothers, disappeared! And then they brought a painting by Velazquez to St. Petersburg. Bryullov stood in front of her, returned home and, covering his head with a blanket, lay there without getting up for two days. He quite clearly felt that he did not want, could not write anymore. He, however, was soon given the position of junior professor and a government apartment here at the Academy. To become a senior professor, the big picture had to be created. Emperor Nicholas summoned Karl to his place and said:
- I want to order a painting for you. On the topic of the siege of Kazan. Write to me Ivan the Terrible with his wife in a Russian hut on their knees in front of the image, and in the window - the capture of Kazan.
Bryullov replied:
- This is unthinkable. I will be criticized if I occupy the foreground with two cold figures, and show the plot itself, God knows where, in the window!
And instead he proposed another plot - the siege of Pskov. The Emperor frowned and said very dryly:
- Fine!
But Bryullov did not have enough gunpowder for the “Siege of Pskov”.

Bryullov, initially enthusiastic and wanting to surpass himself, gradually burned out. In addition, he was constantly annoyed with advice and instructions; all this was hateful to the painter. Didn't finish, quit. However, he himself, and also several dozen true connoisseurs of painting, understood that the painting was not finished.
- How to get rid of curious people? Showing an unfinished painting is like walking without boots.
So the “Siege of Pskov” turned into “Annoyance of Pskov” or “Annoyance from Pskov.” Brother Alexander, who was in Paris at that time, is given a letter from a man loyal to him:
“...Your brother Karl refused to do a portrait for the Grand Duchess. He doesn’t want to do the Demidov painting for 15 thousand, which he ordered him... He received a cross from the emperor: he doesn’t wear it, for which Prince Gagarin reprimanded him more than once, - it’s useless. He refuses all the jobs offered to him... He wants to be independent..."
Karl was supposed to paint both the empress and the emperor himself, but he suddenly disappeared from the Winter Palace and simply stopped appearing when called. And when, after the Winter Fire in 1837, Bryullov asked the Tsar to let him paint frescoes on the walls of the palace on the themes of Russian history, he was refused “the first brush of Russia.” The end of all career dreams...
“The cork of the famous Berlin damask informs with emotional sadness about his death, which followed last week, and asks to be invited to his funeral in the apartment of Ya. F. Yanenko /painter, academician/,

with a contribution of 2 rubles for funeral expenses." Bryullov now often received such invitations to the next friendly drinking party. For some time now he found great joy in his nightly vigils with Nestor Kukolnik (famous writer and playwright).

Mikhail Glinka/Russian composer, creator of Russian national opera./

and several other friends with whom I managed to become friends in St. Petersburg. It seems strange and puzzling that in all the years of his friendship with Glinka, Bryullov did not paint a good portrait of him, only this sketch, but only made cartoons of him. It was customary to make fun of Glinka in this company. Having composed something, he immediately rushed to his friends to play for them first. And they laughed. Mikhail Ivanovich was angry every time, but not for long - he was extremely good-natured. And even when he was sick, and this happened often with Glinka, he lay at home and kept asking:
- Call these freaks here - Bryullov and Kukolnik.
This reckless and happy life collapsed when Bryullov decided to get married. The beloved Yulia Pavlovna was far away; love and humorous letters only occasionally arrived from her. Bryullov became interested in a young, charming girl, and also a talented pianist - Emilia, the daughter of the Riga burgomaster Feder Timm. At 39 years old, Karl is still very handsome - it’s not for nothing that many women went crazy about him. Nearby is an 18-year-old beautiful bride. Refined, shy, a little wild... If only Karl knew what a terrible surprise this love would give him... Karl flew into his friend's room. His black, unseasonably light raincoat was spattered with mud, his hair was disheveled, and he was holding a black, wrinkled hat in his hands.
- Everything is over. Scandal! A shame! How will I show myself on the street? They will point fingers at me as if I were a villain. Who will believe in my innocence? And this" magical creature"He still dares to demand a pension from me...For what?! She...they...most importantly, what meanness!
His heavy breathing turned into a groan or sobs, and then he cursed someone, shaking his fist and promising revenge.
- Mr. Timm and all his relatives accuse me of allegedly beating her, forcing her to do various vile things that I was used to,
living abroad! And he even tore the diamond earrings out of her ears, then kicked Emilia out onto the street, sorry, in just her shirt! But, I swear to you on my life, honor, talent, as much as I have left. Never in my life have I laid my hands on a woman! Never! Models, maids in taverns and hotels, whores, expensive and cheap... I'm not even talking about noble ladies, but never, under any circumstances, did I forget about decency, I did not allow myself... what should I do now? How to live after such shame and dishonor?
Having calmed down a little, Karl began his story:
“I met Emilia at a time when I no longer wanted to find a life partner. Her beauty, talent, enchanting voice... I was captivated, enchanted by her youth, painted her portrait at the piano

Bryullov captured the image of Emilia in some of his works of those years. For example, in the altar painting for the Lutheran Church of St. Peter and Paul, “The Crucifixion”

the master gave Mary Magdalene the features of Emilia Timm...For several days now, Karl Bryullov has not left his workshop. Sketches hung on the walls, in the corner there is an easel with another unfinished painting.

We need to get ready, pick up a brush, because work has always helped to distract ourselves, the artist thought. - Although why all this? The whole of St. Petersburg is gossiping about my personal life, they have already forgotten how much they admired my paintings, now they are only interested in the details of my divorce...
Lord, but that’s not all... on the eve of the wedding, Emilia admitted that she was no longer a virgin... However, then Bryullov thought that not everything was so scary - he had already managed to understand: there is no perfection in the world. Started family life. Karl went to the Academy or to build the Church of Peter and Paul, it was erected by his brother Alexander, and he was ordered to paint the altar image. One day, returning to his house, Karl found there... his wife in bed... with his father... That same day Bryullov left home. The nightmare began. The divorce proceedings cost the artist a lot of gray hair. At one time he even seriously thought about putting a bullet in his forehead. Karl had to write petitions with a detailed explanation of the circumstances to the chief of the Third Department, Benckendorff, and the Holy Synod, and the Minister of the Court... Two months of torture and humiliation. Immediately after the breakup, Bryullov hurried to leave St. Petersburg, where real persecution began against him. His works disappeared from salons and living rooms, and old friends tried to pass by when they met. Bryullov feels lost and endlessly lonely. If it weren’t for the support of his faithful muse Yulia Samoilova, the scandal would have had much worse consequences... Bryullov suddenly found himself sitting in a dark workshop and had been staring blankly into space for several hours, then he looked around... there was a sketch hanging on the wall . A woman with some kind of otherworldly beauty, too bright for cloudy St. Petersburg. Yulenka.

Why did he leave her? The artist retained his love for her throughout his life. The artist first saw Yulia Samoilova at a ball hosted by Prince Gagarin, the Russian envoy to Italy, whose son Grigory took painting lessons from Bryullov and was on good terms with him

Before introducing the artist to Yulia Samoilova, the owner of the house friendly warned Bryullov:
- Be afraid of her, Karl! This woman is unlike others. She changes not only her loyalties, but also the palaces in which she lives. But I agree, and you will agree, that she can drive you crazy.
Indeed, Countess Samoilova had a long trail of rumors trailing behind her.
“Do you know that the other day she came out to meet the English diplomat who had come to visit her in only a light night dressing gown? They say the poor fellow did not know where to put his eyes from embarrassment...
- She didn’t care about the conversations... and the whole world, apparently.
The Countess was only amused by this fuss around her person: really, it’s so boring to always remain a respectable, well-mannered lady who smells of mothballs a mile away. The owner of a huge fortune was always surrounded by a crowd of admirers and did not even try to maintain decency. What's wrong if she indulges in innocent pranks from time to time? Yulia Pavlovna exchanged only a dozen phrases with the artist, but this was enough to turn the painter into a devoted admirer. And the countess really liked Karl. Their romance developed with amazing speed. He paints his masterpieces from it; in many other works of the master you can see its features. "Bathsheba"./Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow./

Bryullov, apparently, was dissatisfied with this picture, and it remained unfinished.
"The Death of Inessa de Castro."

This picture was actually painted on a dare. While at one of the noble receptions, Karl Bryullov received a caustic remark that, with all his genius, he probably would not have time to paint a new painting for the art exhibition that was about to open in Milan. Bryullov accepted the challenge, and locked himself in one of the rooms of the Brera mansion, exactly 17 days later he showed the world a new remarkable artistic canvas, which can be seen in the Russian Museum of St. Petersburg... "Horsewoman"

At one time it was even believed that the rider was Yulia Samoilova. But that's not true. In this painting, only the name “Samoilova” is written on the dog’s collar, and the portrait depicts both of Julia’s pupils - Giovanina and Amatsilia Pacini.
Julia travels with him throughout Italy, constantly visiting his workshop. She's always there. But at the same time it does not belong to the artist. Yulia Pavlovna believes that real love should be free: what is the use of binding oneself with oaths of allegiance and stupid promises? Bryullov was going crazy with jealousy - he never thought that it would be so difficult to share his beloved with someone. But such suffering only amused Julia. In 1834, 6 years after the first meeting with Samoilova, Bryullov made the final decision - he left Italy and returned to St. Petersburg. This is the only way to put an end to this painful love story. The Countess did not seem at all saddened by the breakup. She wished him happiness from the bottom of her heart, gently patted “precious Brishka” on the cheek and did not try to deter him with a single word...

Part 2.

Karl Bryullov was born on December 12, 1799 in St. Petersburg in the family of Pavel Ivanovich Brulleau, an academician of the Academy of Arts, woodcarver and engraver of French origin, and his wife Maria Ivanovna Schroeder, who had German roots. So real name artist - Brullo. They had this surname when their great-grandfather was invited by the empress to work as a clay modeler at a porcelain factory, and when Paul Brulleau had sons from his second marriage, there was only one decision - they would be artists!

Self-portrait, 1833

Karlusha was the eldest: he grew up as a frail child, and when the dim St. Petersburg sun was shining, he was taken out onto the grass. As soon as he grew up, his father gave him pencils and, being a strict person, set a condition - until 20 horses were drawn, there would be no breakfast! The boy gained strength and soon became restless.

V.A. Musin-Pushkin, 1838

He didn’t want to draw, and one day his father hit him on the head for not completing a task. The blow was so strong that since then Karl has no longer heard in one ear! He constantly tilted his head and in the self-portrait we see this tilt, but with a charm characteristic only of Karl.

Zavyalov Fedor, 1844

Together with his brother Alexander, he was sent to the Academy of Painting, where he spent 9 years of study. Karl drew easily, and many students asked to correct their work in order to get an A. Cheesecake for a drawing - that’s the price of editing! They loved Karl, but to all the praise he answered: “Brother Sashka is talented, but what am I?”

Portrait of A.K. Tolstoy, 1836

Time flew by quickly and now graduation work: Academicians silently look at "Narcissus". No doubt, Bryullov is the pride of the academy, the future glory of Russia! Bryullov graduated from the Academy with the First Gold Medal, receiving a 1st degree certificate “with a sword” and a whole handful of medals of various denominations.

Portrait of A.N. Lvova, 1824

In August 1822, Karl and his brother Alexander became the first pensioners of the recently founded Society for the Encouragement of Artists. It was unanimously decided to send them for an internship in Italy, but they added “v” to their surname to make it more Russian.

Portrait of A.N.Demidov, 1831

At that time, Russian artists spent a significant part of their lives abroad, usually in Rome. Bruni and Basin had already been working in Rome for three years when Bryullov arrived there. In 1822, Karl Bryulov went to Rome, expecting to stay there only for 3 years, but his internship lasted 12 years. In Italy, Karl’s fame was brought to him by his first two paintings, “Morning” and “Afternoon.” And the commissioned work “Horsewoman” has already brought fame!

Portrait of A.N. Strugovshchikov, 1840

At the end of the 1820s, the already famous painter Karl Bryullov moved from Rome to Milan. In those days, the young artist was experiencing a painful discord with himself: his longing for Russia was growing, but he could not return to his homeland. And the reason for this was not only creative plans, but also deep personal experiences...

Portrait of actor V.V. Samoilov, 1847

The thought of big historical picture did not leave Bryullov. Back in 1822, the artist came to Pompeii and was amazed by the spectacle of what archaeologists had excavated dead city. The artist had an idea to depict a tragedy last minutes dying city. After careful preparation, which took six years, the artist began painting.

Portrait of Alexander Bryullov, 1823-1827

Working on Pompeii, a huge canvas whose size reached 30 square meters, the artist reached such exhaustion that he was often carried out of the workshop. Having completed the painting, Bryullov was dissatisfied with it. According to his calculations, the figures should have emerged from the canvas, but in the painting they did not have the relief that he wanted to give them.

Portrait of Angelo Tittoni, 1850-1852

“For two whole weeks,” said Bryullov, “I went to the workshop every day to understand where my calculations were wrong. Sometimes I touched one place, sometimes another, but immediately abandoned the work with the conviction that the parts of the picture were in order and that the problem was not in them. Finally, it seemed to me that the light from the lightning on the pavement was too weak. I illuminated the stones near the warrior’s feet, and the warrior jumped out of the picture. Then I illuminated the entire pavement and saw that my picture was finished."

Portrait of the architect A.M. Bolotov, 1843

The artist began working on the grandiose canvas “The Last Day of Pompeii” in 1830 and completed the painting in 1833. The success of the film exceeded all expectations. Its exhibition in Rome and Milan made Bryullov the first and one of the few Russian artists to receive global recognition. "Pompeia" was brought to St. Petersburg in 1834. The Academy of Arts recognized her the best creation 19th century painting...

Portrait of the architect I.A.Monighetti, 1840

Today it is unusually fashionable to reproach this work of Bryullov for incompleteness, for flaws in composition and color, for theatricality and artificiality. It is compared to disaster films. But "Pompeii" is not only a disaster, it is encrypted here and romantic story love.

Portrait of the architect K. A. Ton, 1823-1827

In the fall of 1835, Bryullov was summoned to Russia by Emperor Nicholas I to take up a professorship at the Academy of Arts. After a twelve-year break, the painter returns to his homeland, which greeted him as a national hero, heralding future prosperity national painting.

Portrait of V.A. Zhukovsky, 1837

Upon Karl Petrovich’s return to St. Petersburg, he was received by Nicholas I, with whose permission Bryullov began work on the historical canvas “The Siege of Pskov.” For this, two weeks after the celebrations at the Academy of Arts in his honor, held on June 11, he leaves for Pskov. Work on the painting lasted almost eight years, but was never completed. The painter's dream - to create a work more significant than "The Last Day of Pompeii" - did not come true, after which he no longer turned to historical subjects.

Portrait of V.A. Kornilov, 1835

In the second half of the 1830s and in the 1840s, the painter created a whole gallery of portraits of his contemporaries, which amaze with their endless variety, truth and versatility of characteristics. At this time, for example, portraits of E.P. Saltykova, Count A.A. Perovsky (Anton Pogorelsky), V.A. Zhukovsky, I.A. Krylov were painted.

Portrait of Count V.A. Perovsky, 1837

Bryullov often visited Pushkin on the Moika, and the poet looked into his studio, examined the newly completed works, and album drawings. They became close friends. There was even a joke among the capital's public that Pushkin seemed to be on his knees in front of Bryullov. Meanwhile, this is a reliable fact. It is known that in January 1937, Alexander Sergeevich visited the artist’s studio. One of the watercolors delighted Pushkin, and he asked for it as a gift. When Bryullov replied that the work had already been sold, the poet jokingly knelt down, insisting on his request. In order to somehow soften the refusal, Bryullov offered to paint his portrait and set the time for the first session. Alas, the agreed upon day turned out to be the next after the fatal duel...

Portrait of Count A.A. Perovsky, 1836

He had just gotten married to the young talented pianist Emilia Timm, and life seemed to promise him only good things. And suddenly a blow: his wife, whom he considered the ideal of purity, was caught love affair, which began even before marriage. Karl felt deceived and insulted. Fate, which had recently showered him with its gifts, suddenly turned away. Loud scandal, the humiliating rumors did not subside.

Portrait of I.A.Bek, 1839

Two months after the wedding, at the request of Karl, he and Emilia separated. But the troubles that rained down on the artist as if from a cornucopia did not stop there. He lost the favor of his friends and acquired the enmity of the court - after all, the portrait commissioned by Emperor Nicholas I was never started. During these dark days, the love of his life, Countess Yulia Samoilova, did not leave him: she was among the few who openly supported the artist. But this time the distance between them was too great and the separation too long...

Portrait of K.A. Janisch, 1841

In St. Petersburg, Bryullov taught classes at the academy in the class historical painting. At this time, St. Isaac's Cathedral was completed. Charles was commissioned to make and paint the vaults of the temple. A huge dome of almost 600 square meters. meters required a lot of work! Karl worked like a man possessed! But drafts and cold forced him to bed. His neck did not move, his hands had difficulty grasping his hand. Doctors warned of the need for immediate treatment. And Karl left for the island of Madeira. From there he came to Italy, where he spent last years life.

Portrait of Captain A.M. Kostinich, 1835

Bryullov was acutely worried about the forced separation from his homeland. In Self-Portrait, he depicted himself reclining with his head thrown back. The pale, thin face bears the imprint of illness. This is a kind of confession of the son of the century, a combination of the highest creative tension and enormous fatigue, nobility and fortitude with humility in the face of circumstances. The artist painted his self-portrait during an exacerbation of the disease for several hours. The disease turned out to be fatal.

Portrait of Kikin Pyotr Andreevich, 1821-1822

Almost before his death, he painted the painting "Night over Rome", where eyes closed poked the brush into the canvas and ordered it to be buried in this place. Karl Bryullov died on June 12, 1852 in the town of Marciano, near Rome. Numerous admirers of the deceased carried him in their arms to the Monte Testaccio cemetery.

Portrait of Prince G.G. Gagarina, 1829

Portrait of M. Lanci, 1851

Portrait of musician M. Vielegorsky, 1828

Portrait of Adjutant General Count Vasily Alekseevich Perovsky, 1837

Portrait of N.V. Kukolnik, 1836

Alexandre Ribopierre, 1829

Portrait of fabulist I.A. Krylov, 1839

Self-portrait, 1848