Portrait of Countess Samoilova with her pupil and little arapchon is a painting by Karl Pavlovich Bryullov, which he painted in Italy from 1832 to 1834. The heroine of this work was a close friend of the author. And he was able to masterfully convey her youth and beauty.
The painting Portrait of Countess Samoilova with a pupil and arapcheon by Karl Bryullov – a brilliant image of the artist’s girlfriend
The Countess is depicted in a luxurious attire of satin and lace against the background of a richly furnished room with a landscape visible from the window. With one hand, she gently hugs the girl-pupil Giovanina Paccini, and with the other casually throws off her shawl. A black-skinned little arap boy who runs up brings a touch of Orientalism to the composition. The picture leaves an impression of brightness and triumph of life.
Author: Karl Pavlovich Bryullov (1799-1852).
Year of writing: 1834
Size: 268 x 200 cm.
Style: Romanticism.
Genre: Portrait.
Technique: Oil.
Material: Canvas.
Location: Hillwood Museum in Washington DC.
Karl Bryullov is a Russian painter of the first half of the 19th century who achieved outstanding skill in the portrait genre.
Countess Yulia Pavlovna Samoilova was his muse and favorite model. The artist has repeatedly depicted the beauty and her two adopted daughters in oil and watercolors. “Portrait of Countess Samoilova with a pupil and arapchon” was enthusiastically received by the Italian public and recognized as the best work of the exhibition. It forms a semantic triptych with two other famous paintings by Bryullov: the Horsewoman and the Portrait of Countess Samoilova, retiring from the ball.
The work is currently kept in the American Hillwood Museum, which is famous for its collection of Russian works of art. And Bryullov’s canvas is considered the pearl of this collection and the best work of the artist outside of Russia.
