Karl Brullov (1799-1852) - the most popular and sought-after Russian painter of his time, who received many honors, for example, the Emperor himself gave him a diamond ring. Bryullov wrote many ceremonial portraits, becoming the “court painter” of the first persons of the state, favor for this work very well paid, and in the money loving life in all its manifestations and characterized by a fierce temperament artist needed often. About his love affairs were legends, and his beloved Julia Samoilova, he even managed to depict three times on his main painting “The Last Day of Pompeii”. But besides this masterpiece of academism worthy paintings by Bryullov has a lot, about some of them and about the life of the artist and we will talk in this article.
Svetlana the fortune-teller
Karl's father was a French-born Paul Brullo. He worked as a sculptor, and, noticing in his son a certain ability to paint, forced him to draw various people and animals to exhaustion, not even giving lunch until he did not make the right number of drawings at the appropriate level. But such a harsh upbringing has borne fruit: neatness in drawing at Bryullov formed from childhood. At the age of 10, he was already studying at the Academy of Arts, and better than everyone in the class, although he could not be called a nerdy excellent student. According to art historians, Bryullov already in the Academy was able to give the characters of his paintings “life and grace” not limited to a simple display of human figures. No wonder that he graduated with a large gold medal and received the right to a paid boarding trip to Italy.
A girl picking grapes in the vicinity of Naples
By the way, Karl and his brother Alexander got to Rome for a year: on the way they stopped in all major European cities, studied painting, and at the same time did not miss the opportunity to have fun with local beauties.
Soon the money ran out, but the skill did not go anywhere. In Rome, Bryullov began to paint portraits of local aristocrats and just rich customers, trying his hand at genre paintings.
Italian Morning
In 1823, he painted the famous painting “Italian Morning” and sent it to his homeland as a report that the money for his trip was not wasted. Then “Italian Afternoon” followed as well.
Italian Afternoon
In Italy, Bryullov began a relationship with Julia Samoilova, a flighty and very wealthy woman who had been Alexander I's mistress in his youth. He painted portraits of her pupils, and at the same time worked on the main picture in his life - “The Last Day of Pompeii”. After its premiere, everyone started talking about Bryullov, and the arrival of the artist in Russia resembled a meeting of the crowned personage.
The Last Day of Pompeii
But in addition to these well-known masterpieces, there are in Bryullov's asset many other paintings, no less exciting and interesting. For example, “The Dream of a Nun”, written by Bryullov in Italy. There a young novice, who, perhaps, only recently by virtue of some coincidence has been in a monastery and has not yet lost the joy of ordinary life, fell asleep sweet dreams in his cell.
The Dream of a Nun
Except that one cannot control one's dreams, even if they are “sinful” by convent standards, and so she dreams what any normal girl should dream: a romantic meeting with her lover, when she, dressed in a beautiful worldly dress, sits in the arms of a young man. The frivolous nature of the dream is clearly hinted at by the open collar of her shirt, the crumpled blanket and the dreamy half-smile. An old nun enters the cell and wakes up the young novice “tempted by a demon” and brings her back to the monastery reality: prayers, fasting, and hard God-pleasing artwork.
Bathsheba
Brullov even indicated to which community this monastery belongs: the Order of the Sacred Heart, one of the most revered and famous in Europe. This can be easily understood by the red apron of the elderly nun. It is possible that her stay in the convent will be a real test of her faith and will be much more difficult than that of her older sisters. Whether she will be able to bear it all, and it is good if she is in the convent of her own free will - the picture leaves much food for thought, and is much more serious than it seems at first glance.
Konstantin Somov, his immodest drawings, resurrected the Rococo era and unusual personal life
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