Karl Bryullov became one of the first Russian artists whose paintings were highly appreciated in Europe. He was called ‘the brilliant Karl’, ‘the magnificent Karl’, and it is his work that is considered to initiate the Golden Age of Russian painting.

During his trip to Italy, Bryullov got interested in genre scenes and inspired by mythical and biblical story plots. His ceremonial, as well as chamber portraits earned him recognition among his contemporaries. And the history painting ‘The Last Day of Pompeii’ brought him global fame.

Bryullov was also an excellent draftsman. He created an extensive collection of watercolors, including landscapes.

Monumental canvases, or the so-called large-scale paintings, take a particular place in the art of Karl Bryullov. After ‘The Last Day of Pompeii’, the painter endeavored to create a grand painting based on the Russian history plot. However, the artist managed to pursue his interest in multi-figure compositions by creating monumental paintings that would not deal with history as such. The painter succeeded in many respects due to his brother Alexander Bryullov, a sought-after architect.

‘Peter the Apostle’ from the Rostov museum collection was painted by Karl Bryullov for the Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Petersburg, which was built according to Alexander Bryullov’s design in 1833–1838. Bryullov the painter created a large altarpiece ‘The Crucifixion’ for the church, as well as two round images of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

Today ‘Paul the Apostle’ is housed in the Novosibirsk State Art Museum.

The apostles Peter and Paul were among the twelve closest disciples of Christ. They are called the supreme apostles, while the Acts of the Apostles deal mainly with their stories. The Catholic Church considers the Apostle Peter to be the first Pope of Rome.

According to the Gospel, Jesus gave the Apostle Peter the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Fearing persecution after the arrest of Christ, Peter denied Him three times. However, later he showed sincere repentance and received forgiveness.

Bryullov portrayed him in a moment of repentance and prayer. Peter’s eyes are full of tears, the forehead lines and the veins visible on his hands convey the tension that the saint is experiencing. These details make the religious character vivid and convincing.