Alexander Brullov
A Russian architect and portraitist who left an indelible mark on St. Petersburg's skyline after the devastating fire of 1837.
1798–1877 (age 79)·Russian painter·Birthday: November 29
Biography
Alexander Brullov designed the Pompeian Gallery and other state rooms in the Winter Palace after a catastrophic fire. Born in 1798, he painted intimate portraits of the imperial family and intelligentsia. Tsar Nicholas I entrusted him with the palace's interior reconstruction. Brullov's work blended archaeological precision with imperial grandeur. He died in 1877.
#1 When Alexander Was Born
The biggest hits of 1798
Alexander's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1798Born
1803Started school
1811Became a teenager
1814Could drive
1816Could vote
1819Turned 21
1828Turned 30
1838Turned 40
1848Turned 50
1858Turned 60
1868Turned 70
President: Andrew Johnson
1877Died at 79
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
Key Achievements
- Led the restoration and redesign of the Winter Palace's state interiors after the fire of 1837, creating iconic rooms like the Pompeian Gallery.
- Designed the striking Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, an important cultural venue.
- Painted notable portraits of figures like the writer Natalia Goncharova (Pushkin's wife) and members of the imperial family.
- Served as a professor of architecture at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg.
Did You Know?
He was the older brother of Karl Brullov, the famous painter of 'The Last Day of Pompeii.'
He spent several years in Italy studying ancient Roman architecture, which directly influenced his Winter Palace designs.
His architectural style is considered a late, refined phase of Russian Neoclassicism, sometimes called the 'Nikolaev Empire' style.
“Architecture is frozen music, and my task is to restore its silent harmony.”
