In 1912 he went to Paris, stayed there for about a year, visiting the Academy R. Julien, where he studied with M-P. Laurent. Upon his return to St. Petersburg entered the circle of young artists (N. Altman, N. Tyrsa, PV Miturich, PI Lvov), which includes an interest in constructivism VE Tatlin. Graphic works Bruni in 1913-1915 were published in the journals "Voice of Life," New magazine for all. Since 1915 member and exhibitor association "World of Art". Got carried away by the art of Japan and China. In 1916 he worked with Tatlin. I created kontrrelefy who exhibited at "Store" in Moscow. In 1916 he drafted for military service. In 1917, painted with other artists interiors Cafe Pittoresk "in Moscow. In the same year joined the association "Jack of Diamonds". In 1919 he married the daughter of the poet KD Balmont Nina Balmont. For some time he lived in the southern Urals. In 1920 he returned to Petrograd. Created a number of non-objective compositions. He took part in a festive decoration of streets and squares of the city. In 1920-1921 he taught at the Higher workshops of arts and crafts (formerly School of Technical Drawing of Baron Alexander Stieglitz). In 1923 he moved to Moscow. In 1923-1927 he taught at the Faculty of graphic VKhUTEMAS (from 1924 - professor), and in 1927-1930 - VHUTEINa. In the 1924-1925 term and the exponential association "Makovets", in 1925-1926 - "4 Art. In the 1930's while he taught at several institutions: in 1930-1933 - at the Moscow Textile Institute, in 1931-1938 - at the Moscow Institute of Fine Arts, in 1935-1938 - at the Moscow Polygraphic Institute. In 1935-1938 also led the studio of monumental painting at the Moscow Architectural Institute. Summer months in the 1920's - 1930's carried out in Optina Kaluga. These visits were for Bruni, an extremely fruitful in the creative respect: it was there was done much of the drawings and watercolors 1920 - 1930. In 1930 a lot of work in the field of monumental art, creating murals and paintings in the Central House of the pioneers in Moscow (1935), pavilions VSHV (1938-1939), Soviet pavilion at the World Exhibition in Paris (1937), the Central Red Army Theater in Moscow (1939-1940). Since the late 1910-s has been active in book illustration, designed many books, including book NS Gumilev "Mick and Louis" (1915), VV Khlebnikov's poem "Error death" (1917-1920), "Stories children "I. Potapenko (1910)," Fairy Tales "by R. Kipling (1929), the book" The guys on зверятах "O. Perovskoj (1933)," The Algerian Captive O. profitable, "Lyrics" Nizami, Shah -Name "Ferdowsi (all - 1930) and others. During the Second World War, was evacuated to Kazakhstan. In 1944 he returned to Moscow. In 2000, the State Tretyakov Gallery held a retrospective exhibition of works by the artist. Bruni entered the history of Soviet art primarily as a first-class master of drawing, watercolors and book illustrator. At the beginning of his career he turned to painting and sculpture: creating portraits, paintings of mythological character, kontrrelefy, but since the early 1920's worked almost exclusively on graphics: easel painting and book illustration. Instead of painting came watercolor. In 1930, along with graphics, he worked as a master of monumental painting. He created his own style of illustration, the formation of which had a significant influence French drawings late XIX - early XX century, he had seen during their stay in Paris in 1912, Japanese and Chinese watercolors, as well as avant-garde experiments in which he actively participated in 1910 -e. The artistic heritage Bruni is great. His works are in many Russian museums and private collections. Significant collections of graphics masters have GMII im. Pushkin, the State Tretyakov Gallery, State Russian Museum.

And finally, another genealogical detail: his wife, PF Sokolova was Julia Brullov, sister of the great Charles. In the immediate surroundings - the artist's grandfather, father, architect. Sam Lev Bruni, later recalled that as a child was sure: "All people - artists. His own natural gift was inevitable. When one of the drawings came to himself, Alexander Benois, he praised the 14-year old boy as an account of the talent. Vocational Bruni was quite short: two winters at the Academy of Arts, a year in Paris. The young artist, who just turned 20, begins to exhibit together with the "World of Art" and immediately became known. Everything is given to him easily, everyone else loves him, calling none other than Lyovushka. One of those who knew him recalled: "He was younger than all of us, seemed to the boy, but was able to collect and people to push their foreheads ..." In his workshop in the house on the University Embankment regularly occurred "evening", which became a fact of history of Russian culture. They are now referred to as the literary and artistic circle "Flat No.5". Its permanent members were artists Altman, Miturich, Tyrsa, poets, M., Klyuev, Balmont, Lurie, a composer, critic Punin. Appeared in the apartment No.5 Mayakovsky, Chagall, Khlebnikov, Rozanova, Zaitsev, Tatlin ... Under the influence of Tatlin Lev Bruni began creating constructivist "kontrrelefy" - abstract rebounds from different materials. Together with Tatlin and Rodchenko took part in a futuristic exhibition "Shop" where shown "broken barrel of a cement and glass, pierced by a bullet." But it is hardly possible to argue that Bruni seriously immersed in a battle that led supporters of gay avant-garde. For him there was no struggle, but was friendly solidarity and, most importantly, search for - "living" art that make life so rich and intense. Later in his unfinished memoirs, NN Punin admitted that, if they were all "was given another piece of history, perhaps, these meetings have survived ... would be remembered as the time period most life complete ..." However, times have not choose. " It was in 1916, and the time that they all fell, with the arrogant certainty intruded in such a happy and full life. In November, the artist called in the army. And soon with all the growing insistence sounded "music revolution". She succumbed to the hypnotic rhythm of many, but not Lev Bruni. For it is far more important was another sound - let no one else heard, but for him a distinct melody of its own destiny. In the summer of 1917 he traveled to the Urals, in Miass. Lives there with his family Konstantin Balmont and goes to school the poet's daughter - Nina. The wedding of Nina Balmont and Lev Bruni held in the same Miasse spring of 1919.
Around the world will crumble in the chaos of civil war. They go to the east - in Omsk, then Novo-Nikolaevsk. During this period, the homeless wandering artist and stop using oils. But he, like never before, learn to paint everything: the lake and sleeping wife, flower pots and carriage of their first child, surrounded by chickens and puppies ... It will not just diary "clipping" or protocol reports. This will be that the language of definitions of art is called "easel chart. In short, complete and self-sufficient works of art. "When you knew of a litter \ grow verses without knowing shame ..." The most simple things have infinite value and beauty. This truth is clearly distinct from opened Bruni is in those "damn day. It turned out that this homeless and not burdened with material things of life had many - love, the world around in the infinity of forms and diversity of mysterious relations. And, then, was that oppose the chaos and confusion that bedevil all.
When he returned to Petrograd, Bruni once again closely communicates with Tatlin, even lived in his studio, where the model going utopian monument III International. And illustrates the phantasmagoria of Hoffmann. In general. Lev does not become an active creator of the new revolutionary art. Circumstances seemed to divert him from this. Thus, at the last moment was rejected already prepared a draft November decoration of the Palace Square. And he Bruni moved to Moscow at the invitation of V. Favorsky. With family went to Optina desert and lived there for a long time. It is in the 20 years in Optinoj artist creates his best stuff.
In his works, nothing happens, or rather, is the most important thing: they bend under the weight of wet snow, the first trees that glisten just washed with rain, the roof, the sunlight penetrates the forest thicket ... All are one, well, animation and brittle. This fragility and impermanence simply require that to be etched. The artist responds to a silent demand.

It operates continuously, life and art to it are tangled, twisted. Creativity highest test becomes part of everyday life, should be, because he was a carefree attitude to Mozart's already completed their work and their future. When in the mid 30's a prominent art critic A. Chegodaev decided to select the exhibition several of his works. Lev launched from under the sofa battered suitcase. He was brim full of watercolors - crumpled, with edges that curved in order to put the sheets in a suitcase, then izgryzannymi someone - as it turned out, dog. One sheet was eaten by a third. Shaken by what he saw, turned to art restorers ...
Now, this saved watercolor - one of the best works of Bruni, among those, unfortunately, the few that are kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. Pink frog froze between the thin blades of grass. It may be a long talk about the profundity of that in the visual arts equivalent gesture in favor of sound, movement, and space is always - a repository of mysterious silence, and that this work of Lev Alexandrovich it leaves the space, turning space in the world, has a decisive importance ... But probably better just to stay in the middle of the hustle of life addictive to watch and see. And with the sharpness, usually accessible only to children but to artists, to experience wonder and admiration of every drop of this world.

Author: Tanya YUDKEVICH

  From 1915 begins to appear at trade shows, especially "World of Art". In his workshop at the University Embankment going to St. Petersburg artistic elite, young innovators and rebels, ready to overthrow everything. This - Mayakovsky, Osip Mandelstam, Khodasevich, V. Tatlin, D. Mitrokhin, P. Miturich, N. Punin, N. Tyrsa, I. Zdanevich, VA Voinov, N. Altman ...

God and the idol of Bruni and his followers became avant-garde art, through which he passed with enthusiasm, passion and even radicalism. Passed, but did not remain, as many of his friends. It was this, rather, the obsession with youth, spectacular and promising novelty. His non-figurative compositions of this period are deprived of individuality, identity.

The flowering of creativity Lev Bruni accounts for 1920 - 30-ies. He actively participates in exhibitions. Especially striking and significant in such iconic as "Makovets" and "4 Arts", which establishes the continuity of artistic tradition and the high professional quality of work - are the main goals and objectives, which Bruni followed all his life. In whatever genre it acted - in painting, drawing, book illustration, in the monumental and decorative art.

Starting as a painter, Lev Bruni finally comes mainly to watercolors and drawing as the most suitable to its own inner freedom.

In my opinion, Lev Bruni, there was no secondary, anadromous themes and subjects. Even fast-situ sketches became one piece, fully finished products with their imaginative vision and profound meaning. Even, say, simply "Aspen", just "branch above the water," "Shed" or "Aryk. Whatever he represented - a pine forest in the Urals or the sea near Sudak, "winter" or "May in Izmailovo", "Portrait of a writer Novikova," or "aunt's Bazaar" - did so gracefully and elegantly, without any visible effort or strain, making inspiration and enthusiasm.

And more fun, with humor, with a smile. Actually, people, animals, things under the brush or pencil Lev Bruni seemed to become kinder, happier, warmer. Particularly charming, sweet and touching his "animal" work - illustrations for "Fairy Tale" by R. Kipling, in his book "The children of зверятах" O. Perovskoy, sketches of a tiger, wolf, dog, falcon ...

Lev Bruni illustrated many books - Gumilev, V. Khlebnikov, Ferdowsi, Musset, Merimee, A. Gaidar ... At the end of life conceived a great work - mounted illustrations for "Lyrics" Nizami - this book was published after his death.

The work of Lev Bruni imbued with such inner artistic and spiritual culture, such high taste - and for him was wonderful the whole world in all its manifestations - that you know: all this can not work out, all this comes only by inheritance, it is - from the deepest roots of the family. And in the work of Lev Bruni was that in 1916, said his friend N. Punin: "The Bruni is somehow ... the elements, lyrical power, which often rises to great pathos to this high sense of harmony with the universe. .."