The flying angel, mourning the victims of the Inquisition by Karl Bryullov

Bryullov was an excellent draftsman, singled out his “drawing” abilities while studying at the Academy. Most of his drawings are preparatory to large paintings. This is the “Nymph”, 1827-28, referring to the unfulfilled picture “Hylas and the Nymphs”.

In the elegant outline of the female figure, by the way, there is a clear roll call with female figures, with odalasks of the then leader of classicism, Engr. In the possession of a graphite pencil, Briullov knew no equal, and it remains to be regretted that in this genre he created so few finished works – how virtuously he could do it, for example, the famous “Portrait of the singer Viardot Garcia”, 1844 or the late drawing ” A flying angel, weeping for the victims of the Inquisition. “

A lot of time was given to drawing Bryullov and as a professor of the Academy: “Do with a pencil then,” he persuaded the students, “what real artists do with a bow, with a voice – only then can you become quite an artist…”