Karl Briullov (born 1799) was a Russian painter , best known for The Last Day of Pompeii.

Despite his education at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts (1809-1821), Briullov never fully embraced the Classical style taught by the Academy. After distinguishing himself as a promising and imaginative student and finishing his education, he left Russia for Rome. Here he worked until 1835 as a portraitist and genre painter, though his fame as an artist came when he got involved in historical painting. The Last Day of Pompeii(1830-1833), created a sensation in Italy and established Briullov as one of the finest painters of his day. Soon after, Briullov returned to Russia, and accepted a position at the St. Petersburg Academy.

While teaching at the Academy (1836-1848) he continued his own artistic efforts, but was unable to produce a work comparable to his "masterpiece." His portrait painting, however, was more successful, at least in retrospect. His portrait style combined a neoclassical simplicity with a romantic tendency that fused well, and his penchant for realism was satisfied with an intriguing level of psychological penetration. A transitional figure between Russian neoclassicism and romanticism, Briullov may be considered the first Russian artist of international fame.