Briullov’s paintings use a variety of elements to inform the viewer what he deems is most important, and the context for these things. For example, the use of light in the Last Day of Pompeii draws attention to the suffering people, who are uncertain of their fate and the causes of their plight. It forces the viewer to empathize with them, lying or pictured in abject fear, all while being surrounded by darkness and the soot-filled air. The contrast between dark and light shows the wreckage surrounding the survivors and highlights how mortified they are.

The use of light is a huge theme in many of the other works shown on the website. In The Siege of Pskov, the Polish clergy glows very brightly, the intensity weakening as the eye strays further from them. Glancing to the right, the fighting among the soldiers darkens the painting. I am sure this can be interpreted in many ways, but the light can serve to glamorize the Orthodox priests and the darkness to condemn the fighting. The faces of the painting also make you feel immersed: the women and onlookers seem horrified, the soldiers angry and full of rage, and the clergy determined to Christianize the newly acquired land.

Facial expression is another commonly employed element in these pieces of art. In Italian Midday, the woman on the ladder seems very happy to be picking the grape; her soft glare on to the fruit, smile and relaxed posture indicate she is enjoying what she is doing. Light, again, is another aspect of the painting as it peers through the canopy and on to her and the fruit. The grapes shine in the light, and the woman’s face is irradiated now by both light and joy.