Karl Pavlovich Bryullov (1799–1852) was born on December 12, old style, in St. Petersburg, in the family of an academician, woodcarver and engraver of French origin, Pavel Ivanovich Bryullo. From the age of ten, Karl studied painting at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, and was a student of the famous master of historical painting, Andrei Ivanovich Ivanov. A brilliant student, Bryullov received a gold medal in the class of historical painting. His first known work, “Narcissus,” dates back to 1820, and was awarded several silver and gold medals from the Academy of Arts over the years. And Karl wrote his main creation - the painting “The Last Day of Pompeii” - for more than six years. The painting was commissioned by the artist from the most famous philanthropist of that time, Anatoly Nikolaevich Demidov, and was subsequently presented by him to Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich. Member of the Milan and Parma Academies, the Academy of St. Luke in Rome, professor of the St. Petersburg and Florence Academies of Arts, honorary free accomplice of the Paris Academy of Arts, Karl Pavlovich Bryullov entered the annals of domestic and world culture as a prominent representative of historical and portrait painting.