Artwork

Portrait of General-Adjutant Count Vasily Alekseevich Perovsky

Portrait of General-Adjutant Count Vasily Alekseevich Perovsky is an oil painting by Karl Bryullov. It dates from 1837 and is held in the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery. Created in 1837, this oil painting presents General‑Adjutant Count Vasily Alekseevich Perovsky in full military regalia.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1837, this oil painting presents General‑Adjutant Count Vasily Alekseevich Perovsky in full military regalia. The work is part of the Tretyakov Gallery’s collection and exemplifies the Russian Romantic period through its emphasis on personal character and atmospheric background.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is shown in a dark uniform trimmed with gold epaulets and adorned with several medals, his dark, curled hair and neatly trimmed mustache framing a composed expression that balances solemnity with a faint, restrained smile, conveying both authority and personal dignity.

Technique & Style

Karl Pavlovich Bryullov applied a refined Romantic sensibility, using soft, cloud‑like tones in the backdrop to contrast with the meticulous rendering of the uniform’s intricate details. The oil medium allows subtle modeling of flesh and fabric, highlighting the interplay of light on metal and cloth.

History & Provenance

The portrait was executed by Bryullov, a leading figure of 19th‑century Russian art, during a prolific phase of his career. It entered the Tretyakov Gallery’s holdings, where it remains on display as a representative example of the era’s portraiture and the artist’s engagement with military subjects.

Artist & collection

Artist

Karl Bryullov

Karl Pavlovich Bryullov (né Brüllo; Russian: Карл Па́влович Брюлло́в; 23 December 1799 – 23 June 1852) was a Russian painter and draughtsman during the Romantic period, remembered among the greatest visual artists in the history of Russian…

Museum

Tretyakov Gallery

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