Karl Bryullov: The Genius of Russian Romanticism

The text below is the excerpt of the book Karl Bryullov (ISBN: 9798899563690), written by Galina Leontyeva, published by Parkstone International.

“Have you seen The Last Day of Pompeii?” For a time, this question replaced ordinary greetings among Romans in cafés, trattorias and on the streets. Italian artists spoke with one voice: “We must all learn from him.” Even the celebrated Vincenzo Camuccini, upon seeing the vast and dazzling canvas, could not restrain his admiration, exclaiming: “A blazing colossus!”

The fame of both the painting and its creator spread across Italy astonishing speed. From Rome it was taken to Milan, where the reception grew even more fervent. In the theatre, audiences ignored the actors to cheer for the young, previously unknown graduate of the St Petersburg Academy of Arts. A celebrated singer recited verses in his honour, while admirers carried him through the streets on their shoulders, accompanied by music, flowers and flaming torches.

Bryullov’s popularity swelled rapidly. Sir Walter Scott sat for hours before the monumental canvas, spellbound. The French ambassador in Rome, René de Chateaubriand – aristocrat, writer and leader of European Romanticism – invited the Russian painter to his ball. Greeting him warmly, Chateaubriand confessed: “I had just said, ‘Bryullov will not come.’ My heartfelt thanks for proving me wrong.”

Such acclaim soon took institutional form. The Academies of Bologna, Milan and Florence elected Bryullov to membership, while Hortense Bonaparte, relative of the former emperor, expressed her wish to learn drawing under his guidance.

What explains this extraordinary triumph? Why did Italians, in particular, lavish such praise on the work of a foreign artist? Why did the same painting, when later exhibited in St Petersburg, stir Russia’s most brilliant minds? To answer these questions, we must return to St Petersburg thirty-three years earlier and trace the path that led the creator of The Last Day of Pompeii to such heights.

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This title currently has an ENGLISH version; GERMAN and FRENCH versions and audiobook will be available soon…