Rastko Petrovic is one of the most controversial and influential intellectual writers of modern Serbian literature. He reacted early to the new literary trends of post--World War I Europe, distinguishing himself as an original poet searching for new expressive potentials of poetic language. A poet, essayist, art critic, and travel writer, he is interesting as a representative of his time and as the author of works that are valuable contributions to literature in their own right.

He was born on 16 May 1898 to a middle-class family in Belgrade. His father, Mita Petrovic, director of the bureau of taxation, was a passionate amateur historian. One of the best-educated men of his time, he had a considerable talent for drawing, which his children inherited from him. Rastko's mother, Mileva Zoric, a schoolteacher, was a descendant of a well-known family in Titel, Voyvodina. In a loving family that included nine children, Rastko...