The artist is Bryullov
Self -portrait of 1849 – one of the vertices of the portrait work of the master – was written after a serious illness. He became the result of bitter thoughts about his fate, disappointment with life, creative dissatisfaction of the demanding master. With its composition, ancient vestment, the romantic image of the artist resembles some portraits of Rubens. According to c.G. Belinsky, the artist knew how to convey "Not one external resemblance, but the whole soul of the original". The artist worked extremely quickly: it is known that the self -portrait located in the Tretyakov Gallery was written in just two hours. The picture of the Russian Museum is the author’s repetition of this portrait made by a student of Bryullov (Lukashevich?), fixed and passed by Bryullov. Written at the request of the countess with. AND. Bobrinskaya (nee. Countess Shuvalova) At the same time when Bryullov worked on her portrait (located in GE). Subsequently transferred to the museum by her son, Count A. AND. Bobrinsky. According to the testing p. AND. Bobrinskaya, Bryullov wrote his hands and head, and the dress finished already n. AND. Lukashevich, who, after the artist’s departure to Italy, delivered a portrait to the customer (OR GRM, departmental archive, op. 1, d. 71, l. eight).
