Bryullov and Pushkin met in Moscow in the fall1836 they often met in St. Petersburg. Their relationship, personal and creative, did not last long, less than a year, but it was a fruitful friendship that the poet’s death broke off. After the death of Pushkin, Bryullov made a sketch of his monument, thought later to take part in the publication of the works and drew many sketches of the frontispiece, and in 1849 - a picture based on the “Bakhchisarai Fountain”.
In 1880 in Moscow, at the Pushkin exhibition,One small picture caught the attention of visitors - “A. S. Pushkin. The portrait, made with oil on cardboard (12.0 x 8.5 cm), was the work of K. Bryullov, because the character’s last name was painted in red paint on it along the shoulder of the character. This picture was also reproduced in the released album.
19 years later, when at the same exhibition for the first timewas exhibited "A. S. Pushkin ”, a portrait of the work of O. A. Kiprensky, previously kept by the poet’s son, in a small work a question mark already stood against the author’s name. Appeared opinion, that signature “K. Bryullov "- roughly made fake and copies not the autograph of the artist, but the signature under a certain lithograph from one of the master's works.
Further on the basis of documentary dataPushkin scholars, in particular N.O. Lerner, who published the article “The Lzhe Bryullov Portrait of A.S. Pushkin” in 1914, argued that Bryullov had never written a portrait of Pushkin, although he intended to. Since then, a derogatory name has been attached to a small work of art, and gradually it has been completely forgotten about it. For a long time he was in a private collection, and then it was acquired by the Literary Museum in Moscow. In 1959, the “Lzhebryullovsky” portrait was transferred to the newly created Metropolitan Museum of Alexander Pushkin.
Но если не Брюлловым, то кем был написан Пушкин?The portrait, called "pseudo-Brjullovsky", was long considered to be the pen of an unknown artist. Many years later, an attempt was made to prove the authorship of O. Kiprensky.
Comparing the documentary evidence, the manner of writing and other details, the adherents of this version came to the conclusion that this is a study of his famous painting - “A. S. Pushkin ”(portrait, 1827).
Between the two works there are quiteexplainable differences. The etude is the moment of life captured by the artist. Pushkin is different here - a different mood and facial expression. There are differences in the writing of individual details, but the peculiarity of the painting manner and the generality of the composition prove that the author of the portrait of Pushkin (etude) is O. A. Kiprensky.
Comparing historical facts, supported by documentary evidence, it can be assumed that the work could have been performed by the artist from May 26 to July 15, 1827.
It seems strange that the famous painter and portrait painter, who personally knew Pushkin, did not paint a portrait of his peer, a genius poet.
Bryullov created many paintings in whichimprinted his contemporaries: Russian writers, artists, architects, public figures. But Pushkin is not among them. The remaining testimonies of friends and students of the artist say that he was going to paint a portrait of the poet, but did not manage to do it.
However, some researchers of creativity K. P.Briullov believe that Pushkin was not his hero. The painter was known as a master of the life-affirming "happy portrait" and wrote people in the moments of their inspiration or excitement. The poet's drama did not fit into the concept of Bryullov's creativity, therefore he did not have time to paint a picture. This is only one of the assumptions that there is no direct evidence.
It would be unfair not to mention thatThe version of the authorship of the small portrait of A. S. Pushkin presented here is just one of many. For example, the art historian E. Pavlova is of the opinion that the portrait was nevertheless written by Briullov, and gives its own equally interesting arguments in defense of this. Research continues, and there are still many unsolved mysteries. Perhaps future generations will have more luck.
