The erotic paintings were not rare in the collections of Russian emperors. One of such paintings was discovered in Pavlosvk, near St. Petersburg

The employees of the state museum-sanctuary Pavlovsk – one of St. Petersburg’s most beautiful suburban estates – for the first time dared to show to the journalists previously unknown Bryullov’s painting, the “Bacchanalia”.

The fact of this painting’s existence was covered up not only in Soviet era, but in pre-revolutionary period, too. The thing is that Carl Brullov’s painting was hidden under second-rate engraving “Rest”, by an unknown artist. However, the engraving frame has a keyhole, which turns peaceful “Rest” into a frenzied “Bacchanalia”.

Actually, the Great Carl (as he was called even in his lifetime) created a painting, which even today could be viewed as totally explicit, since the personages of the scene include not only humans, but animals, as well.

The “Bacchanalia” was created by Carl Bryullov for the emperor Alexander II, who liked the erotic art. Says the state museum-sanctuary’s head curator, Aleksey Guzanov, the authorship is not indicated on the painting, but, first of all, the manner and style of painting obviously belong to Bryullov; and secondly, there exist Bryullov’s sketch for this piece. The sketch is now kept in the reserve funds of one of St. Petersburg’s museums.

According to Aleksey Guzanov, the erotic paintings were not rare among Russian emperors’ art collections. After the October revolution, and up to 1961, these paintings were being destroyed, but this particular one miraculously survived. At first, this painting was kept in the Winter Palace, later on – in the Museum of the Revolution, from where it came to join Pavlovsk art collection.

The “Bacchanalia” is considered to be valuable, not so much artistically, as historically, since it was created by such a distinguished artist. After being briefly shown to the journalists, the painting went back to the museum reserves.