Figure 1.--This is portrait of Alexander Blok in 1887. He would have been 6-7 years old and wears a traditional sailor suit.

Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Blok was an important Russian poet. He was born in St. Petersburg (1880). His father was a law professor who was also interested in music and literature. . His mother dabbeled as a writer and worked as a translator. He was raised in a prosperous, upper-class family. Alexander had little contact with his father because his parents separated soon after he was born. Divorce was virtually impossible in Russia at the time. He thus was raised by his mother and her family. They introduced him to the fine arts And his mother's family in particularly introduced him to world of the fine arts. He was indulged as a boy and his artisticic leanings encouraged. His grandfather was director of St. Petersburg University. His grandmother, mother and aunts were were all well read and wrote themselves. They spoke foreign languages and at time worked as translators. Thus Alexander from infancy was exposed to a world of words and literature. The family spent summers at Shakhmatovo, the Bloks' daccau (country home) near Moscow. The noted chemist, D. I. Mendeleev, lived closeby. There Aleksandr played with Mendeleev's daughter who he latwr married (1903). Blok was interested in literature from an early age and began to to write as a boy. He began to study law, following his father's careeer, but his heart was not in it. He switched to philosophy and began to devote himself to writing. Blok at a young age became associated with the developing symbolist movement. His poetry was noted for is strongly rhythmic patterns and metaphysical imagery. He drew on both legend and history.

Created: 2:41 AM 8/2/2011
Last updated: 2:41 AM 8/2/2011