Karl Pavlovich Bryullov is a talented artist of the 19th century, a master of the historical genre and portrait painting, the author of a monumental canvas entitled "The Last Day of Pompeii". It is interesting that even during his lifetime, Bryullov received fame and recognition, and not only in the Russian Empire, but also in Europe.
Years of apprenticeship and stay in Italy
Karl Bryullov was born in 1899 in St. Petersburg, in the family of the architect Pavel Bryullo, a Frenchman by birth. Already at the age of nine, Karl became a student of the Academy of Arts. And here talent was very quickly discerned in him - the teachers were amazed at his ability to turn banal sketches into complete paintings.
In 1821 Karl Pavlovich graduated from the Academy with a gold medal. He was given it for a picture on the biblical theme "The Appearance of Three Angels to Abraham by the Oak of Mamre". A year later, the talented young man had the opportunity to go to Italy and continue his education at the expense of patrons. On the Apennine Peninsula, he studied Renaissance artists and ancient art. Bryullov's Italian nature fascinated, and he eventually lived in this country for thirteen years - until 1835.
In the twenties, the artist created, for example, such paintings as "Italian morning", "Noon", "Interrupted date", "Dream of a grandmother and granddaughter." These canvases are characterized by an abundance of sunlight and warm colors, in which the painter unambiguously praises youth and beauty.
The success of "The Last Day of Pompeii" and the move to St. Petersburg
In 1827, Karl Bryullov visited the excavations of the ancient city of Pompeii, which was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the 1st century AD. Inspired by what he saw, Bryullov began work on his main creation - the painting "The Last Day of Pompeii". He painted this picture for a long time - from 1830 to 1833. And here the painter managed to express the idea of a person's ability to maintain dignity even in the face of death. And this canvas stood out among others in that it was not an individual person who was depicted here, but a whole mass of people at the moment of the catastrophe.
"The Last Day of Pompeii" made a splash in the world of fine arts. Soon Emperor Nicholas I saw this canvas. It impressed the autocrat, and he wished to personally meet with the famous artist. In 1836, Bryullov finally returned to his native Petersburg. He was immediately made a professor at the Academy of Arts and put in charge of the so-called class of historical painting. At the same time, Bryullov continued to paint pictures, in particular, portraits of high-ranking persons.
The further fate of the artist
At the beginning of 1839, Karl Pavlovich tied himself in marriage for the first (and last) time. His wife was eighteen-year-old Emilia Timm, the daughter of the mayor of Riga. However, after a month, the love ended and the couple separated. For what reason this happened, it is not clear, there are different opinions on this matter. Of course, Bryullov also had romances with other women in his life, for example, he had a long relationship with the pretty Countess Yulia Samoilova.
In the forties, Karl Pavlovich took part in the painting of the Lutheran Church of Saints Peter and Paul, St. Isaac's and Kazan Cathedrals and created many amazing studies and sketches on religious themes (now they are kept in the Russian Museum). In 1848, Bryullov was forced to stop working on the painting of religious objects, he began to develop rheumatism and heart problems.
Doctors recommended that he change the climate, and in April 1849 he went to the Portuguese island of Madeira. A year and a half later, that is, at the end of 1850, he moved to Italy, to the town of Manziana, in order to undergo a course of therapy using local mineral waters. On June 23, 1852, the artist had a seizure and died. The painter was buried in Italy at the Testaccio cemetery.
