Rainer Maria Rilke

About

Bohemian-Austrian poet and author who is remembered for Sonnets to Orpheus and other lyrical, introspective works. The Book of Hours, published in 1905, is a compilation of three volumes of Rilke's Christian-themed poems.

Before Fame

He attended Charles University in Prague. He published his first poetry collection, Leben und Lieder, in 1894.

Trivia

He often used Greek motifs in his poems.

Family Life

He married sculptor Clara Westhoff in 1901.

Associated With

He was influenced by the work of Paul Cezanne.