Karl Bryullov

Born in 1799 in St. Petersburg to a family of artists, including his woodcarver father, he was of Huguenot descent and felt a strong draw to Italy from his early years.¹

Educated at the Imperial Academy of Arts from 1809 to 1821, Bryullov never fully embraced the classical style taught by his mentors, despite being a promising student.¹

After his education, he worked in Rome until 1835 as a portraitist and genre painter, eventually gaining fame through his historical paintings.¹

His masterpiece, 'The Last Day of Pompeii', combined dramatic action, romantic lighting effects, and sculptural plasticity, establishing him as a premier European painter.¹

His work 'The Last Day of Pompeii' was compared by Pushkin and Gogol to the best works of Rubens and Van Dyck, creating a sensation across Europe.¹

While teaching at the academy, he developed a portrait style combining neoclassical simplicity with romantic tendencies and deep psychological penetration.¹

His health deteriorated while working on the St. Isaac's Cathedral plafond; he moved to Madeira and then Italy, where he died in 1852.¹