Alexander Brulloff Biography

Alexander Brulloff (Brullo until 1822, when the family name was changed according to Russian pronunciation) was a prominent architect, but also a very talented artist. Among others, he designed and built the following buildings in St. Petersburg: Mikhaylovskiy Theater (now Maliy Theater, 1831-1833), Lutheran Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1833-1838), Pulkov Observatory (1834-1839), the Headquarters of Guard Corps on Palace Square (1837-1843). He was the elder brother of great Russian painter Karl Brulloff and was born in 1798 in St. Petersburg into the family of painters: his great grand-father, his grand-father, his father and his brothers were artists. His first teacher was his father Paul Brulloff. He attended the Academy of Arts' architect class in 1810 - 1820 and graduated with honors. Along with his brother, Karl, he was sent to Europe to study art and architecture as a pensioner of the Society for the Promotion of Artists.

Alexander Brulloff spent 8 years abroad since 1822 till 1830, in Italy, Germany and France, studying architecture and art. He painted a lot of watercolor portraits at that time. Among the best were the portraits of V. A. Perovsky (1824), C. P. Bakunina (1830-1832), I. A. Capo D'Istrias (1920s), C. I. Zagryazhskaya (1820s) and others.

In 1831, after his return to Russia, he was appointed a professor of the Academy of Arts and these were the years when he created his best architectural projects. One of the best portraits created by A. Brulloff at this period was a portrait of N. N. Pushkina (1831). Alexander Brulloff also made illustrations for the books and magazines.

• 
  Portrait Of Catherine Bakunina.
  

  1830-1832. Watercolors on cardboard. The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia. Read Note.

• 
  Portrait Of Count I. A. Capo D'Istrias.
  

  1820s. Pencil on paper. The Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia. Read Note.