The appearance of Brazen Serpent was followed by the demonstration of Bruni’s pictorial and graphic pieces from the Tretyakov Gallery’s collection. Hall 9 of the permanent exposition presents an expanded display of paintings by Fyodor Bruni and other artists of the academic trend of those times. From 19 April to 10 August 2025, Hall 11 will present drawings including preparatory sketches to Brazen Serpent, studies of church images, church paintings and portraits made by the master.

F.A. Bruni’s role and importance in the history of Russian art were appreciated by P.M. Tretyakov and largest Moscow collectors of graphics of the second half of the XIX – early XX centuries, I.E. Tsvetkov and I.S. Ostroukhov among those. Their collections enabled the museum to show the artist’s rare and valuable pieces of art to the public.

Upon return from Italy to Saint Petersburg in 1846, Bruni became Professor of the Imperial Academy of Arts; he later was Head of its Painting Department for 16 years (1855–1871). As a leading master of historical painting, he created images for Tsar’s residences and worked on paintings in the largest churches of the Russian Empire including St. Isaac Cathedral in Saint Petersburg and Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. Bruni grew famous as a master of monumental composition and a brilliant drawer being a virtuoso in the “performance part”. His works, characterized by deep content, expressiveness and dramatic effect, anticipated in many ways the artwork of muralists at the turn of the XIX–XX centuries.