Bryusov, Valery Yakovlevich

Bryusov, Valery Yakovlevich (vəlyĕ`rē yä`kəvlyĭvĭch brē`səf), 1873–1924, Russian poet, novelist, and critic. He was the spearhead of the symbolist movement and wrote highly polished and esoteric verse celebrating sensual pleasures. Of his poetry, Stephanos (1906) is perhaps the best-known collection. His two novels are The Fiery Angel (1903), concerning 16th-century German practitioners of black arts, and Altar of Victory (1911–12). Bryusov was revered for his scholarly criticism. He also translated a number of works by French, American, and Armenian poets.

Bibliography

See study by M. P. Rice (1975).