Pallada Bogdanova-Belskaya in her youth
1910
Stray Dog Cellar's gathering
1917
Argus editorial's issue
Olympi Ivanovich Starynkevich
Mikhail Kuzmin
Pallada Olympovna Bogdanova-Belskaya was born on January 13, 1885, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Her father was a military engineer, and her grandfather, Ivan Starynkevich, was the headmaster of the Second Moscow Gymnasium. She spent her childhood in Vilnius province.
Pallada Olympovna attended a gymnasium in Vilnius province and took the Saint Petersburg Women's Higher Courses. By 1911 she graduated from Nikolai Evreinov drama studio.
Pallada Olympovna debuted as a poet in 1915, when her first and only book of poems Amulets was published. It was strongly criticized by the press, and, as one of her contemporaries mentioned in his private letter, "was totally written in the Mikhail Kuzmin manner". She also worked as a columnist for the editorial Argus between 1913 and 1917, writing articles on beauty and relationship. Being friends with numerous local poets, writers, editors, and artists Pallada Olympovna hosted widely reputed literary salons and gathered all Saint Petersburg's beau monde in her apartment.
After the Revolution and the Civil War hit, Pallada Olympovna made away to Crimea. She later lived discreetly in Tsarskoye Selo during the 1920s-1930s, unaffected by the war and the Great Purge. The latter part of her life passed unnoticed in Saint Petersburg, where she lived through the siege.
Pallada Olympovna was famous for her openness in sexual relationships and polygamy, as it was stated she once had 6 lovers at the same time. Seeking public attention, she always dressed extravagantly, combining vivid colors, fabrics, jewelry, and make-up.
Pallada Olympovna Bogdanova-Belskaya was married to the Socialist Revolutionary party member Sergei Bogdanov from 1906 to 1911. In 1906 they had two sons named Orest and Erast.
Her second husband was sculptor Gleb Derujinsky. Their marriage lasted for 4 years, from 1917 till 1291 when he emigrated to the USA.
In 1922-1924 Pallada Olympovna was married to poet and columnist Osip Kobetsky.
Her last husband was art historian Vitaly Gross. They were married from 1924 to 1935 and had a son named Ernest in 1925.
Olympi Ivanovich Starynkevich was her father, whom she loved dearly despite their relationship difficulties.
(1878-1915)
Ivan Alexandrovich Starynkevich invented the family tradition of naming children after the Greek mythology characters by giving his 11 sons and daughters classical Greek names.
(1906-1998)
(1906-1962)
(1925-2000)
Mikhail Kuzmin featured her as a character of his novel and described her in his poems. She was inspired by his writing style.
