Alexander Yakovlevich Bryusov was an outstanding Russian archaeologist who studied Karelia and the Vologda region. The author of numerous scientific works and monographs on archaeology and history, as well as poetry books.
Background
Alexander Yakovlevich Bryusov was born on September 29, 1885, in Moscow, Russian Federation. His maternal grandfather was a fabulist, and Alksander's inherited his gift for writing. His paternal grandfather was a serf, who, having received the will, became a merchant. Yakov Bryusov, the father of Alexander, supported the ideas of the revolutionary populists. Taken up by betting, he squandered most of his fortune on a tote.
Education
After graduating from the 3 Moscow gymnasium, in 1904, Alexander Yakovlevich entered the historical and philological faculty of Moscow University. But he did not finish the study, having left to travel. He returned to university in 1922. After obtaining the bachelor's degree, he entered the grad school of the Russian Association of the Research Institute of Social Sciences.
Career
During his studies at the university, Alexander Yakovlevich became interested in literature. Abandoning schooling, he went on a trip to Australia, America, and the Middle East, later setting forth his impressions in the poetry collection Off-Road (1907). A. Blok praised these verses rather highly, calling them clever, non-binding decadent poems. In the next few years, he published mostly sarcastic poems and reviews of modern literary translations, criticizing, among other things, the works of his brother, V. Bryusov. In 1911, he translated the libretto by Sem Benelli, The Jesters' Supper, Alexander considered this translation one of his most significant works.
In 1912, Alexander Yakovlevich decided to suspend a literature career for a while and started to trade in Moscow. With the outbreak of World War I, he was called up, in 1915 was captured. He returned to Russia only in 1919, having decided to finish his literary career and focus on history and archaeology.
While studying for graduate study, Alexander Yakovlevich led expeditions that worked in the Russian North. Later he focused on the study of Karelia and the Vologda region. After graduating from graduate study in 1929, he became an assistant professor at Moscow State University. In the same year, he was appointed senior scientific officer at the Research Institute of Archeology and Art History of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
During World War II, Alexander Bryusov was evacuated as a museum funds keeper. Returning to Moscow, in 1943 he maintained a thesis for a doctoral degree. A year later, he became a senior scientific officer at the Institute of the History of Material Culture.
Achievements
Membership
Alexander Yakovlevich was a regular participant in the debate in the Moscow literary and art circle, as well as a member of the Society of Free Aesthetics. He was the Honorary Member of the Prehistoric Society (England), the Member of the Scientific Society at the University of Paris, and the Honorary Member of the International Society of Prehistoric and Early Historical Knowledge of UNESCO.
Society of Free Aesthetics
Personality
Alexander Yakovlevich was in friendly relations with a large number of both writers and historians. His broad outlook and passion for completely different areas allowed him to have a large circle of acquaintances.
Connections
Nothing is known about Alexander Bryusov’s own family. It is believed that his relationship with his brother, poet V. Bryusov, was rather complicated: Valery was rather skeptical about the literary works of his younger brother, while Alexander very often criticized poems and translations of Valery.