One of the brilliant artists of the 19th century is Karl Pavlovich Bryullov. His works with a high degree of skill evoke admiration due to the riot of colors and combination of contrasts. Karl Bryullov, since 1822, has lived in Italy to raise money for the existence of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists. Here he created many of his creations.
History of creation
The artist’s painting “Horsewoman” deserves special attention. The canvas was created in 1832 by order of Countess Yulia Samoilova. It depicts a young girl riding a horse, having just returned from a walk. A little girl ran out onto the balcony, watching her sister with an enthusiastic look. Today it is known that the artist depicted on canvas two of the countess’s pupils: the elder Giovannina and the little Amalicia. The fact that the work was created for the Countess is evidenced by the inscription on the collar of the dog “Samoilov”.
Composition of the painting
The painting “Horsewoman” amazes with its vitality and naturalness. Everything about her breathes with spiritual energy: a rider returning from a horse ride; a little girl watching enthusiastically what is happening; a hot black horse; a shaggy dog who is about to throw himself at the feet of a horse. The joy of the event is present in the picture due to the short separation. But something else captivates the viewer - this is the look of the little girl, her big, dream-filled eyes. She admires her sister. There is a hint of excitement in her gaze. But what is read more in it is how the girl sees herself in the place of the horse after some time.
Performance technique
The artist uses contrasting tones, each of which is worked out to the smallest detail. Light pink, blue-black, and white shades are combined harmoniously in the picture; there are no places that are overloaded with colors. Bryullov deliberately chose a combination of incompatible tones. Thanks to the artist’s skill, a magnificent painting was obtained, and dark shades against a background of light colors enhance the overall emotional impact on the viewer.
After painting, the painting was presented at an exhibition in Milan in 1832 at the Brera Gallery. The rest of the time, Countess Samoilova kept the canvas in her possession. When the Samoilovs were ruined, the painting had to be sold. Only in 1893 did she end up in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Many admired the work, its dynamics and liveliness. Some critics spoke of the rider's lack of emotion. The unnaturalness of the pose and the calmness of the girl with such an excited horse look implausible - this is what critics thought. Despite this, the painting was recognized as a brilliant masterpiece.
Rider
When you look at the canvas of the great painter Bryulov, your gaze immediately stops at the figure of a beautiful horsewoman who stops her horse. And then you just notice a girl who is standing on the balcony and does not hide her admiration for the horsewoman. The dogs that have turned their attention to the horse and bark at it also experience great interest; one gets the feeling that all of nature has paid attention to this brave girl. Large clouds are moving across the sky, and the trees seem to be bending over to get a better look at the rider. Even the rays of the almighty sun descended to earth to see the beauty and audacity of the girl.
The peculiarity of this painting lies mainly in the fact that the painter painted a portrait of an ordinary girl in the style of portraits of great commanders. If you pay attention to the silhouette of a girl and a horse, you can easily notice a triangle. Previously, Titian, Rubens and other great artists resorted to this technique. But so that the image of the girl does not seem warlike, Bryulov adds a child to the canvas. The little girl heard the clatter of the horse's hooves and went out onto the balcony to look at him. Her face expresses delight at the beautiful horsewoman. But you can also see the emotion on the young face; the girl is surprised that the rider looks so arrogant when she rides a horse. A small child gives this picture life and realism; the canvas ceases to be majestic.
You should also pay attention to the large shaggy dog, which is located closer to the horse. This dog also plays a special role on the canvas. When you look at it, you get the impression that the picture was painted not on a plane, but in three-dimensional space.
Anyone who has ever seen this painting in the Tretyakov Gallery at least once in their life immediately gets the impression that this is not a painting at all, but a window into life.
Essay description of the painting Bryullov's Horsewoman
Bryulov Karl Pavlovich - one of the most famous artists of the XIX century, author of many beautiful portraits. The main directions of his grandiose development were panoramic canvases on the theme historical events, and he also had a great interest in small works that masterfully combined effortless simplicity and skillful use of the brush. However, Bryulov revealed himself most in painting portraits, mainly with portraits of luxurious beauties of his century.
One of the most famous portraits painted by the painter is the painting “Horsewoman”. It was created in 1832 in Italy. In the portrait, the author perfectly conveyed all the beauty of the youth and grace of the young pupil of Countess Samoilova - Giovanni Paccini.
Contrast reigns in the whole picture - and only just a quick glance at it, and after some time, looking at all the little things depicted by a truly master of his craft.
At the first glance at the picture, one is struck by the strength and power of the beautiful black horse - a handsome man. Against the background of his temperament, the innocence of the girl, whom he holds firmly and securely in his saddle, seems even more vulnerable. The girl gracefully stops the horse's impulse to charge, slows down the fire and the pressure of his temperament.
She is met by a little girl on the balcony, just as cute, with curls on her head and in a smart light dress. Her skill in controlling a capricious animal surprises the little girl and instills in her a sense of respect for her older friend.
A small dog at the stallion’s feet barks fiercely at him. The strength and pressure of the picture is also given by the state of the weather - you can feel the approach of a thunderstorm, and even a storm.
The unusual combination of colors in the portrait created by Bryulov is striking. The author combines red shades with brown, almost black colors with soft blue and almost white. Such combinations influenced my perception of this picture – its strength and tenderness.
8th grade. 4th grade, 5th grade.
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The painting “Horsewoman” by Bryullov from the moment of its exhibition in 1832 to the present day has had a huge number of descriptions and critical reviews. Italian newspapers wrote that the painter's work exceeded all expectations, and his style and skill can be compared with the legendary Rubens.
Description of the painting “Horsewoman” by Bryullov
Option 1
The paintings “” and “Horsewoman” are among the most famous in Russian history. paintings of the 19th century centuries. They were created by Karl Pavlovich Bryullov.
Artist: Karl Pavlovich Bryullov (Bryulov)
Title of the painting: “Horsewoman”
Painting: 1832
Canvas, oil.
Size: 291 × 206 cm
ABOUT Russian artist K. Bryullov has already said quite a lot. He was the author of outstanding paintings, which today occupy a worthy place in the list of world masterpieces and museum exhibitions. One of them is “Horsewoman”.
The history of the painting is attractive and unusual. As you know, the painter for a long time lived in Italy, but just before leaving this romantic country, he painted, by order of Countess Yu. Samoilova, a portrait of her adopted daughters - Giovanina and Amazilia Paccini, daughters of the same composer who created the opera “The Last Day of Pompeii”, which inspired the artist to do something monumental in the future canvas. But before that, a portrait of two pupils of a Russian aristocrat appeared in a secluded villa near Milan. The work was called "Giovanin on a Horse", but for everyone it became "Horsewoman".
The image of Giovannina on horseback was revolutionary, because previously only generals, emperors and kings were depicted this way, and not ordinary citizens.
A horsewoman stands out on the canvas, stopping her horse in full gallop. She controls it confidently, causing genuine delight in the little girl near the balcony. Two dogs barking at a rearing horse also experience an interest in what is happening, which is also given over to nature by inertia - the tree trunks tilted from the breeze running through them, and clouds rush across the sky. The rays of the evening sun make their way to the ground spontaneously and restlessly.
The value of this painting lies not only in its innovative approach to depicting people, but also in the fact that Bryullov modernized the ceremonial portrait. If you look closely at the silhouette of the horse and Jovanina sitting on it, it resembles a triangle. It is noteworthy that this technique was previously used by Titian, Rubens and Van Dyck. Bryullov interprets this compositional technique in a completely unusual way - he introduces the image of a child into the picture.
Little Amalicia, hearing the stomping, ran out onto the balcony and stretched out her hand, trying to catch the movement of the horse. Her wide eyes and slightly open mouth express surprise and delight. At the same time, she worries about how quickly her sister gallops with a majestic, arrogant, almost marble face, filled with some kind of extraterrestrial renunciation. The girl successfully creates balance and gives the canvas realism, spontaneity and seems to breathe life into it.
Look at the shaggy dog at the feet of Giovannina's horse. He makes the space in the picture voluminous, as if it exists not only behind, but also around the figures.
The canvas is dynamic, and everyone who has ever seen it in the Tretyakov Gallery will certainly have the feeling that this is not a painting, but a photo that only stopped the frantic rhythm of life for a second. The black horse is shiny after a walk, he is still kicking his hoof, because he cannot tune in to calmness after running, and the dog, conveying the atmosphere of a rich house of those times, glitters with a personalized collar and joyfully greets the rider.
Amazilia in a touching dress, like all children of her age, is lively and nimble. She couldn't sit still when she heard her older sister returning. The girl’s huge eyes express not only physical dynamism, but also emotional dynamism - adoration, devotion and slight envy for her older sister, whom she so wants to be like that even their hair is curled the same way.
“The Horsewoman” simply breathes life, she becomes the messenger of all earthly joys - the picture is so spontaneous. There is everything here: the animated images of the characters, the boldness of the compositional solution, the grandeur of the pre-storm sky, and the variety of shades of the palette.
Moreover, the latter is filled with rather bold color schemes, which are not only incompatible at first glance, but also uncharacteristic for Bryullov. The canvas quite riskily combines the pink, almost powdery, color of Amatsilia’s dress, the black, even velvety color of the horse and the airy white, with a slight blue, dress of the rider. At first glance, the combination of red-pink, black-blue and crystal white shades is quite difficult to perceive. This is a feature of Bryullov’s style of painting - the use of contrasting, rather than close, color schemes, the most complex in the artist’s skill.
Notice that the tones of the picture are not overloaded, which enhances their sound. The tonal harmony of the canvas is so calm and laconic that there are no carelessness or inaccuracies in the portrait. It is not for nothing that fashion historians of that time call Giovannina the “cover girl” of a fashion magazine. Fashion trends of the early 19th century can be traced in her clothes - the aristocrat sits in a side saddle, her riding habit is light blue, a color befitting unmarried young ladies, tightly buttoned with all the buttons, with puffed sleeves. The rider put gloves on her hands - both so as not to injure her delicate aristocratic hands, and because etiquette forbade showing them in society. Walking hats were popular in the 19th century. Giovanina was no exception: her headdress is dark green with flowing ribbons.
Amazilia is dressed less conservatively - she is wearing a powder pink dress with open arms, lace pantaloons and green shoes. We see the fashion trends of the century before last in her hairstyle - in those days, children of aristocrats were supposed to have a perm.
The painting “Horsewoman” was first exhibited in Rome (1832). The life-size portrait of a girl caused, if not a stir, then gossip from critics around it. Some noted the artist’s skill, calling the girl on a horse a “flying angel” and admired Bryullov’s ability to convey the play of light. Other art experts from Italy said that the rider’s face is lifeless, and therefore she does not notice the horse’s movements. Bryullov himself refuted all these arguments, speaking about the main task of art - the depiction of life.
Nevertheless, his skill as an artist and the previously unprecedented scale of the portrait captivated the public so much that he was awarded the title of genius and stood on a par with Rubens and Van Dyck, and the painting itself is rightfully called one of the most famous examples of art of the 19th century.
Option 2
Karl Bryullov is one of the most famous graduates of the Academy of Arts Russian Empire. A prominent representative of late romanticism, Bryullov created many beautiful paintings, including a number of portraits of outstanding people of his time. His artistic style there were warm rich tones, sharp contrasts, and sometimes touching female nudity; he knew how to reflect human moods, fears and feelings in his canvases. At twenty-three, having graduated with honors from the Academy of Arts, he went to Europe to continue his studies. After short travels, he settled in Italy, where he spent fourteen of the most fruitful creative years of his life.
The canvas depicts the pupils of the Russian Countess Yulia Pavlovna Samoilova - Jovanina and Amalicia. Giovannina is presented in the image of a calm rider sitting on a lathered, besieged horse. Little Amalicia admiringly watches her older friend from the porch, clinging to the railing. However, Karl Bryullov’s “The Horsewoman” received not only laudatory odes from critics. There were also those who paid attention to how sharply the equanimity of the rider contrasts with the excited state of the horse. They found it unnatural.
The excitement of a sharply beleaguered horse, its restlessness, its readiness to rear up would have forced the girl to pull the reins and bend over. The rider Karl Bryullova on the canvas demonstrates impeccable posture and calmness, her face is almost impassive. Some critics found the girl's facial expression and pose unnatural and deliberate. However, the disheveled and funny dog, the pre-storm state of nature in the background of the picture, the ardent admiration in the gaze of little Amalicia, the veil of the graceful Jovanina fluttering in the wind - everything on the canvas suggests that the artist perfectly mastered the skill of conveying all states: both nature and people, and animals.
Emphasizing the calmness of the rider, Bryullov was clearly pursuing some goal of his own. Perhaps to focus specifically on the portrait of Giovannina, conveying her features as accurately as possible. Bryullov painted the painting “Horsewoman” with very warm and vibrant colors, conveying on canvas not only the mood of the characters in the picture, its atmosphere and dynamics, but also the rich tonality of an Italian summer evening.
“The Horsewoman” by the wonderful Russian painter Karl Pavlovich Bryullov is an indisputable example of portraiture. You can appreciate the magnificence of the painting by visiting the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
Bryullov “Horsewoman” essay based on the painting
Option 1
In front of me is a wonderful painting by artist K.P. Bryullov "Horsewoman". Bryullov is the creator of many well-known paintings. His favorite genre in which he loved to create was portrait. So in this picture we have two young beautiful ladies.
In the foreground we see a young rider on a horse, posing for the artist. She looks directly at the viewer, she has an elegant, bright face with regular facial features. The girl has voluminous curls on which her hat fits perfectly. The beauty is dressed in a white and blue dress, which suits her very well. They are sitting on a black, strong and powerful horse, which cannot sit still and is eager to give its rider a ride.
Next to a beautiful girl sits a dog, which barks at the horse, not at all afraid of it. On the other hand, we see a smart little girl who is not inferior to her sister in beauty. She has wonderful black curls, large expressive eyes, and is dressed in a delicate dress that goes well with her black hair. She looks at her older sister in admiration, her mouth open. She probably wants to ride a horse too. Her dog is looking at this little lady, unfortunately, the girl covers her body with herself, and we only see her white and black muzzle and red collar.
In the background we see a piece of the girls' rich house, undoubtedly they are from a rich noble family. Their house is decorated with a wonderful arch, small columns stand next to the house, and their huge garden is visible behind the house. The background of the picture is painted in dark tones, against which the girls stand out brightly. They are dressed in light-colored dresses and immediately attract attention. Their beautiful and bright faces remain in the viewer’s memory for a long time.
The master captured in the picture a bright moment from the girls’ lives. The picture evokes positive emotions, it conveys the plot well, we see both movement and emotions on it. Such a picture would be a good decoration for any home. I remember the picture, I would like to see it in its true size.
Option 2
“Horsewoman” is the famous work of the outstanding Russian painter Karl Bryullov. The painting was created in 1832. Today you can admire it in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Bryullov wrote “The Horsewoman” at the request of Yulia Samoilova. But it is not the Countess herself that is depicted, but her lovely pupils – Amatsilia and Giovannina Pacini. The customer's last name can be seen on the dog's collar.
In the picture we see a walking scene. Giovannina rides up on horseback to her adoptive mother's house, and Amazilia meets her on the porch. Giovannina, young beautiful girl, looks at us, sitting on a tall black horse. The horse neighs and rears up. Giovannina calmly holds her by the bridle. The girl's oval face is framed by light brown curls. On her head is a dark green amazon. Giovannina's dress emphasizes her graceful waist. Top of the dress blue color, and the hem is white.
A dog curls at the horse's feet. She looks attentively at the rider. Amatsilia meets Giovannina on the porch. The little girl looks at her older friend with delight and reverence. The girl holds onto the metal railing with her hands. Amazilia put one foot on the fence, as if trying to stand on it in order to get closer to Giovannina. The girl's mouth is slightly open. She looks at the rider, enchanted. Amazilia is wearing a soft pink dress with lace sleeves. From underneath you can see the same lace pantaloons. A dog meets Giovannina along with the girl. Her narrow muzzle is turned towards Amalicia.
Despite the fact that the scene depicted in the painting is very ordinary for that time, Bryullov’s “Horsewoman” is full of emotion and dynamism. Immediately after writing this work was exhibited in Milan. There she caused a huge number of positive responses.
Option 3
When you look at the canvas of the great painter Bryulov, your gaze immediately stops at the figure of a beautiful horsewoman who stops her horse. And then you just notice a girl who is standing on the balcony and does not hide her admiration for the horsewoman. The dogs that have turned their attention to the horse and bark at it also experience great interest; one gets the feeling that all of nature has paid attention to this brave girl. Large clouds are moving across the sky, and the trees seem to be bending over to get a better look at the rider. Even the rays of the almighty sun descended to earth to see the beauty and audacity of the girl.
The peculiarity of this painting lies mainly in the fact that the painter painted a portrait of an ordinary girl in the style of portraits of great commanders. If you pay attention to the silhouette of a girl and a horse, you can easily notice a triangle. Previously, Titian, Rubens and other great artists resorted to this technique. But so that the image of the girl does not seem warlike, Bryulov adds a child to the canvas.
The little girl heard the clatter of the horse's hooves and went out onto the balcony to look at him. Her face expresses delight at the beautiful horsewoman. But you can also see the emotion on the young face; the girl is surprised that the rider looks so arrogant when she rides a horse. A small child gives this picture life and realism; the canvas ceases to be majestic.
You should also pay attention to the large shaggy dog, which is located closer to the horse. This dog also plays a special role on the canvas. When you look at it, you get the impression that the picture was painted not on a plane, but in three-dimensional space.
Anyone who has ever seen this painting in the Tretyakov Gallery at least once in their life immediately gets the impression that this is not a painting at all, but a window into life.
Option 4
Bryulov Karl Pavlovich is one of the most famous artists of the 19th century, the author of many beautiful portraits. The main directions of his grandiose development were panoramic canvases on the theme of historical events, and he also had a great interest in small works that masterfully combined effortless simplicity and skillful use of the brush. However, Bryulov revealed himself most in painting portraits, mainly with portraits of luxurious beauties of his century.
One of the most famous portraits painted by the painter is the painting “Horsewoman”. It was created in 1832 in Italy. In the portrait, the author perfectly conveyed all the beauty of the youth and grace of the young pupil of Countess Samoilova - Giovanni Paccini.
Contrast reigns in the whole picture - and only just a quick glance at it, and after some time, looking at all the little things depicted by a truly master of his craft.
At the first glance at the picture, one is struck by the strength and power of the beautiful black horse - a handsome man. Against the background of his temperament, the innocence of the girl, whom he holds firmly and securely in his saddle, seems even more vulnerable. The girl gracefully stops the horse's impulse to charge, slows down the fire and the pressure of his temperament.
She is met by a little girl on the balcony, just as cute, with curls on her head and in a smart light dress. Her skill in controlling a capricious animal surprises the little girl and instills in her a sense of respect for her older friend.
A small dog at the stallion’s feet barks fiercely at him. The strength and pressure of the picture is also given by the state of the weather - you can feel the approach of a thunderstorm, and even a storm.
The unusual combination of colors in the portrait created by Bryulov is striking. The author combines red shades with brown, almost black colors with soft blue and almost white. Such combinations influenced my perception of this picture – its strength and tenderness.
Title of the painting: “Horsewoman”
Painting: 1832
Canvas, oil.
Size: 291 × 206 cm
Description of the painting “Horsewoman” by K. Bryullov
Artist: Karl Pavlovich Bryullov (Bryulov)
Title of the painting: “Horsewoman”
Painting: 1832
Canvas, oil.
Size: 291 × 206 cm
Quite a lot has already been said about the Russian artist K. Bryullov. He was the author of outstanding paintings, which today occupy a worthy place in the list of world masterpieces and museum exhibitions. One of them is “Horsewoman”.
The history of the painting is attractive and unusual. As you know, the painter lived in Italy for a long time, but just before leaving this romantic country, he painted, by order of Countess Yu. Samoilova, a portrait of her adopted daughters - Giovanina and Amazilia Paccini, daughters of the same composer who created the opera “The Last Day of Pompeii”, which inspired the artist to create a monumental painting in the future. But before that, a portrait of two pupils of a Russian aristocrat appeared in a secluded villa near Milan. The work was called "Giovanin on a Horse", but for everyone it became "Horsewoman".
The image of Giovannina on horseback was revolutionary, because previously only generals, emperors and kings were depicted this way, and not ordinary citizens.
A horsewoman stands out on the canvas, stopping her horse in full gallop. She controls it confidently, causing genuine delight in the little girl near the balcony. Two dogs barking at a rearing horse also experience an interest in what is happening, which is also given over to nature by inertia - the tree trunks tilted from the breeze running through them, and clouds rush across the sky. The rays of the evening sun make their way to the ground spontaneously and restlessly.
The value of this painting lies not only in its innovative approach to depicting people, but also in the fact that Bryullov modernized the ceremonial portrait. If you look closely at the silhouette of the horse and Jovanina sitting on it, it resembles a triangle. It is noteworthy that this technique was previously used by Titian, Velazquez, Rubens and Van Dyck. Bryullov interprets this compositional technique in a completely unusual way - he introduces the image of a child into the picture. Little Amalicia, hearing the stomping, ran out onto the balcony and stretched out her hand, trying to catch the movement of the horse. Her wide eyes and slightly open mouth express surprise and delight. At the same time, she worries about how quickly her sister gallops with a majestic, arrogant, almost marble face, filled with some kind of extraterrestrial renunciation. The girl successfully creates balance and gives the canvas realism, spontaneity and seems to breathe life into it.
Look at the shaggy dog at the feet of Giovannina's horse. He makes the space in the picture voluminous, as if it exists not only behind, but also around the figures.
The canvas is dynamic, and everyone who has ever seen it in the Tretyakov Gallery will certainly have the feeling that this is not a painting, but a photo that only stopped the frantic rhythm of life for a second. The black horse is shiny after a walk, he is still kicking his hoof, because he cannot tune in to calmness after running, and the dog, conveying the atmosphere of a rich house of those times, glitters with a personalized collar and joyfully greets the rider. Amazilia in a touching dress, like all children of her age, is lively and nimble. She couldn't sit still when she heard her older sister returning. The girl’s huge eyes express not only physical dynamism, but also emotional dynamism - adoration, devotion and slight envy for her older sister, whom she so wants to be like that even their hair is curled the same way.
“The Horsewoman” simply breathes life, she becomes the messenger of all earthly joys - the picture is so spontaneous. There is everything here: the animated images of the characters, the boldness of the compositional solution, the grandeur of the pre-storm sky, and the variety of shades of the palette.
Moreover, the latter is filled with rather bold color schemes, which are not only incompatible at first glance, but also uncharacteristic for Bryullov. The canvas quite riskily combines the pink, almost powdery, color of Amatsilia’s dress, the black, even velvety color of the horse and the airy white, with a slight blue, dress of the rider. At first glance, the combination of red-pink, black-blue and crystal white shades is quite difficult to perceive. This is a feature of Bryullov’s style of painting - the use of contrasting, rather than close, color schemes, the most complex in the artist’s skill. Notice that the tones of the picture are not overloaded, which enhances their sound. The tonal harmony of the canvas is so calm and laconic that there are no carelessness or inaccuracies in the portrait. It is not for nothing that fashion historians of that time call Giovannina the “cover girl” of a fashion magazine. Fashion trends of the early 19th century can be traced in her clothes - the aristocrat sits in a side saddle, her riding habit is light blue, a color befitting unmarried young ladies, tightly buttoned with all the buttons, with puffed sleeves. The rider put gloves on her hands - both so as not to injure her delicate aristocratic hands, and because etiquette forbade showing them in society. Walking hats were popular in the 19th century. Giovanina was no exception: her headdress is dark green with flowing ribbons.
Amazilia is dressed less conservatively - she is wearing a powder pink dress with open arms, lace pantaloons and green shoes. We see the fashion trends of the century before last in her hairstyle - in those days, children of aristocrats were supposed to have a perm.
The painting “Horsewoman” was first exhibited in Rome (1832). The life-size portrait of a girl caused, if not a stir, then gossip from critics around it. Some noted the artist’s skill, calling the girl on a horse a “flying angel” and admired Bryullov’s ability to convey the play of light. Other art experts from Italy said that the rider’s face is lifeless, and therefore she does not notice the horse’s movements. Bryullov himself refuted all these arguments, speaking about the main task of art - the depiction of life.
Nevertheless, his skill as an artist and the previously unprecedented scale of the portrait captivated the public so much that he was awarded the title of genius and stood on a par with Rubens and Van Dyck, and the painting itself is rightfully called one of the most famous examples of art of the 19th century.
picture horsewoman Bryullov portrait
IN last years first stay in Italy, in 1832 K. Bryullov painted the famous “Horsewoman” (see Ill. 7), gracefully sitting on a magnificent horse.
At the center of the work is a young girl who has returned from her morning walk. A horsewoman at full gallop stops a hot horse. The Amazon's confident dexterity evokes genuine admiration from the little girl who runs up to the balcony, as if calling on the viewer to share her delight.
The excitement is transmitted to the shaggy dog barking fiercely at the rearing horse. The landscape with tree trunks tilted from the passing wind is also agitated. Cirrus clouds run anxiously across the sky, the rays of the setting sun breaking through the thick foliage fall in restless spots on the ground.
Portraying a young girl, Giovanina, and her little friend, Amacilia Pacini, Bryullov created an inspired canvas glorifying the joy of life. The charm of “The Horsewoman” lies in the spontaneity of the animation that permeates the entire scene, in the boldness of the compositional solution, in the beauty of the pre-storm landscape, in the brilliance of the palette, striking in its richness of shades.
The overall silhouette of the rider and horse forms the semblance of a triangle - a stable, long-favored form of constructing a ceremonial portrait. This is how many compositions were solved by Titian, Velazquez, Rubens, and Van Dyck. Under Bryullov’s brush, the old compositional scheme is interpreted in a new way. The artist introduces the figure of a child into the picture. The little girl, hearing the horse's tramp, quickly ran out onto the balcony and stretched out her hand through the bars. Both delight and fear for the rider are expressed on her face (see Fig. 8). A note of living, direct feeling tempers the cold majesty of the portrait, giving it spontaneity and humanity. The girl, incomparably more lively than the horsewoman, fits well into the work, conveys the mood of sincere childish delight, ease of perception of the world and deprives the portrait of pathos and seriousness, which usually comes from the majestic equestrian portraits of other artists of that era.
Enthusiastic Italians compared Bryullov with Rubens and Van Dyck, writing that they had never before seen an equestrian portrait conceived and executed with such skill. This exaggeration is due to the unusual nature of Bryullov’s creation. An equestrian portrait has always been a ceremonial one. It inevitably concealed a hidden meaning: a rider who saddles and subjugates a hot horse is a man of power. Here is not a commander leading an army into battle, not a conqueror entering a captured capital, not a monarch being crowned king - the girl returned home from a walk.
In this work, Bryullov finally combines a ceremonial portrait and an everyday scene. He himself called the work “Jovanin on a Horse,” but for everyone it is “Horsewoman.” "Jovanin on a Horse" tells a little about "Jovanin" herself - Jovanina; little Amazilia - admiration, impulse, the charm of childhood.
Bryullov painted the picture with a feeling of completeness and joy of being, admiring the beauty and picturesqueness of the world, with the feeling that lived in him, and which he found in these girls, Giovanina and Amatsilia.
In a large canvas, Bryullov managed to organically link the decorativeness of the solution with the truthfulness of direct observation. “The Horsewoman” can rightfully be called an example of a portrait-painting in the art of the first half of the 19th century century. In this uniqueness of the creative plan one cannot help but see the expression of the bold will of the artist, violating established traditions. The very appearance of the young horsewoman acquired a certain conventional generality.
The portrait of Giovannina, exhibited in Rome in 1832, caused a lively exchange of opinions. Here is what was said, for example, in one of the newspaper articles published at that time: “The Russian painter Karl Bryullov painted a life-size portrait of a girl on a horse and another girl who is looking at her. We do not remember having seen an equestrian portrait conceived and executed before with such skill. The horse... beautifully drawn and staged, moves, gets excited, snorts, neighs. The girl who sits on him is a flying angel. The artist overcame all difficulties like a true master: his brush glides freely, smoothly, without hesitation. without tension; skillfully, with the understanding of a great artist, distributing the light, he knows how to weaken or strengthen it. This portrait reveals in him a promising painter and, more importantly, a painter marked by genius."
According to the fair opinion of the poet Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy, Blyullov was considered “the best painter in Rome.” (Pikuleva G.I. /Gallery of Geniuses: Bryullov/ - M.: OLMA-PRESS Education, 2004.)
An article attributed to Ambriozodi that appeared in the same year said: “If anything may seem incredible, it is that a beautiful rider either does not notice the frantic movements of the horse, or, from excessive self-confidence, does not tighten the reins at all and does not bends towards her, as perhaps it would be necessary.”
Bryullov’s “omission,” noticed by his contemporaries, was partly explained in the tasks that he set for the art of large portrait paintings during this period. The creator of “The Horsewoman” could be suspected of being unable to convey facial expression, if not for the image of a little girl clinging to the balcony railing in a fit of delight. The play of feelings is so vivid on her sharp face that doubts about the brilliant talents of Bryullov as a portrait painter immediately disappear. By the beginning of the 1830s, Bryullov occupied one of the leading places in Russian and Western European art. His fame as an outstanding master of portraiture was cemented by The Horsewoman.
Without a doubt, "Horsewoman" is a success. She created a sensation among her contemporaries. They talked about her, wrote about her, discussed her, there were rumors, versions and assumptions about the personality of the person depicted. It was an unconditional hit in the top ten.
"Horsewoman" was purchased for the gallery of P.M. Tretyakov in 1893 in Paris, as a portrait of Yu.P. Samoilova. It was believed that she was depicted as a horsewoman.
Later it was proven that this is the same painting that the artist called “Zhovanin on a Horse” in the list of his works, and that it depicts two of Samoilova’s pupils - Giovannina and Amatsilia. This was established by comparing the girls depicted in “The Horsewoman” with them in other Bryullov paintings.
If you can see, if you look at the “Portrait of Countess Y.P. Samoilova with her pupil Giovannina and the Little Arab” and the “Portrait of Countess Y.P. Samoilova leaving the ball with her adopted daughter Amatsilia” (see Ill. 5), dating back to 1834 in 1839 during their visit to St. Petersburg.
The artist himself gave the reason to be mistaken about who is represented in the image of the horsewoman. Although the girl looks younger than Samoilova, who was about thirty years old in 1832, she seems older than the teenage girl that Giovannina is depicted next to the countess in Bryullov’s portrait of 1834. By the way, this is not the only misunderstanding related to the definition of the heroine of “The Horsewoman”.
In 1975, the famous La Scala opera house published a book dedicated to the outstanding singers whose voices sounded from its stage. "The Horsewoman" was presented as a "Romantic Portrait of Malibran" from the La Scala Theater Museum. The name of Maria Felicita Malibran-Garcia, sister of Pauline Viardot, belongs to one of the most striking legends in the history of opera. Masterfully mastering a marvelous voice, possessing a hot temperament and the gift of acting, combined with an appearance that corresponded to the romantic canon of female beauty - a slender figure, a pale face under blue-black hair and large sparkling eyes, she seemed created to embody the heroines of musical dramas on stage. .
A passionate lover of horse riding, Maria Malibran died from bruises received when she fell from a horse. She was twenty-eight years old. The untimely death cemented the legend that was born during the singer’s lifetime: one Milanese lawyer, who donated an engraving from the painting “Horsewoman” to the La Scala Theater Museum, believed that it depicted Malibran.
The director of the Theater Museum, Professor Gianpiero Tintori, said: “I understand what confuses you. When, having arrived in Moscow, I visited the Tretyakov Gallery, I realized that the fair-haired horsewoman (in Giovannina’s life she was a redhead) cannot portray the fiery brunette Malibran. I spoke about this to those who selected illustrations for the book, but they only added the epithet “romantic” to the word “portrait,” that is, they presented the picture as a kind of fantasy on the theme of the singer’s passion for horse riding.”
The picture is filled with emotions and movement. A happy young girl, excited by the walk, the gallop, the wind in her face, reined in her horse abruptly, her little friend ran out enthusiastically to meet her - and the rider’s excitement was immediately transmitted to her, intensifying many times over; the black horse squints, snores, tries to rear; sensing the mood of the owners, the dogs are worried; the wind bends the treetops; clouds are running across the sky: everything is excited, agitated, alarmed, but this is joyful excitement, the joyful excitement of happy people.
Giovanina Paccini in a portrait by Karl Bryullov is shown in a fashionable, rich and elegant equestrian costume, a brocade blouse with puffy elbow-length and narrow wrist-length sleeves, a lace collar, a long skirt below the heels, which reflects wealth and refined taste its owner. Neatly curled curls, soft features of the face, only slightly turned to the side, contrast with the movement that filled the whole picture. A light cloud of a veil, trailing with the wind. The face of the just returned rider is quite calm, but not devoid of pleasure from the ride. (see ill. 9) She behaves arrogantly and majestically, like a brave commander on the battlefield.
The horse's front legs raised while running, as if the hind legs were ready to jump; you can almost hear the neighing of a horse and the frightened barking of a dog on the right. The equanimity of such a fragile girl is amazing; without a shadow of effort or fear, she restrains the ardor of a frisky horse, bursting with health, strength and power. The sun plays on the muscles of his black satin body. Flared nostrils and an open mouth show all the impatience, all the resistance of a rearing horse. The horse gets excited, but the rider sits straight and proud, confident in herself. All his power is completely subordinated to the young rider, calmly sitting on his back.
Attracted by the clatter of hooves and the neighing of a horse, the little girl on the left who jumped out of the house is also all in motion - her right leg bent at the knee, her hands clutching the parapet bars. Even the static nature of the entrance arch, the parapet and the pedestal in which the parapet is mounted is disrupted by the image of pieces of earth flying out from under the horse’s feet and sticking to the pedestal. All this conversation piece as if to emphasize the seething emotions inner world horsewoman, but, shackled by the conventions of noble decency, she does not show this in her facial expression.
Wild strength submitting to fragile beauty, tenderness and sophistication dominating over power is one of the favorite motifs of romanticism, the pinnacle of which was the work of Bryullov.
The girl’s entire pose is filled with grace and ease. It seems that she is not even sitting in the saddle, but is hovering above him like a light, almost weightless blue-white cloud. The smooth curve of the arm, sloping shoulders, thin neck give tenderness and smoothness to the figure. The folds of the dress and the developing veil only enhance the effect.
The position of the head and the antique calm on the porcelain face of the eldest of the Pacini sisters contrasts with the composition of the entire painting, filled with movement and emotion. The Italian idealized type of appearance was considered perfect during the time of Bryullov. Which is not surprising, because a purely realistic image does not always give that touch of romanticism, so beloved by Karl Pavlovich’s contemporaries.
Today, looking at this work, you understand how right the Italian art connoisseur was when he called young Karl Bryullov a brilliant artist just for this portrait alone. The master boldly combines the warm, gentle tones of the girl’s pink dress with the black steel of the velvety black fur of the horse and the white luminous robe of the rider. Bryullov gives a complex harmony of pink-red, bluish-black and white shades. The contrasts of color schemes are striking, in which red is combined with brown-beige, dark brown, almost black - with bluish-lunar, lead-gray - with yellow-blue, white-pink - with blue-black, and black - with yellow .
The painter, as it were, deliberately chooses not close, but contrasting, especially complex in painting, combinations. But each tone was developed masterfully by the master, in many subtle gradations. The pictorial layer is not overloaded anywhere, and this enhances the sound of the paint on the light ground. Bryullov achieved a special tonal harmony here. There are almost no careless, sluggishly painted places in the portrait. The school of the Academy of Arts left its mark on the picture: the figures of a girl, dogs and especially a horse are anatomically accurately depicted.
The combination of textures and light is also skillfully used. Graphic, angular folds of shining fabric next to the softness of animal fur. The artist uses light to determine the main action and the main characters of the painting. Here, in the bright morning light, against the backdrop of a dark garden and monumental stone slabs, the figures of the sisters are captured, the animals are slightly less illuminated. On the broken curves of the clothing, the light lies in the same bright fractures, like shards of a broken mirror. And on the moving object itself - the horse, on the contrary, there is more diffused light. The morning sun plays on his tense muscles, lying on the edges of the smooth, and not chopped like a dress, curves of his chest, legs and neck, emphasizing their roundness and allowing the viewer to see and feel their rolls and movement.
There is a sense of space and perspective in the work. The shaggy dog depicted on the canvas helps to create the impression that in the painting the space unfolds not only in depth, but also exists in front of the characters. The feeling of depth is also enhanced by the light breaking through somewhere in the distance, through the trees of a dense garden.