Jan Neruda

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Grave of Jan Neruda (1834-1891)
Vyšehradský hřbitov (Vyšehrad Cemetery)
K Rotundě, Vyšehrad
Prague, September 2017

“Jan Nepomuk Neruda (9 July 1834 – 22 August 1891) was a Czech journalist, writer, poet and art critic; one of the most prominent representatives of Czech Realism and a member of the ‘May School’. Jan Neruda was born in Prague, Bohemia; son of a small grocer who lived in the Malá Strana district. Initially, they lived on Újezd Street and later, when he was four, moved to Ostruhová Street (now called Nerudova Street, in his honor), where they owned a house known as ‘U Dvou Slunců’ (At the Two Suns). His studies began in 1845 at the local Grammar school then, in 1850, continued at the Academic Grammar School in Clementinum. His favourite writers at the time were Heine, Byron, Shakespeare, Karel Hynek Mácha and Václav Bolemír Nebeský. After graduation he tried to study law, but he failed. He worked as a clerk for a short time, but was unhappy, so he decided to study philosophy and philology at Charles University. He then worked as a teacher until 1860, when he became a freelance journalist and writer. He started his career at Národní listy (National Sheets). Later, he worked for Obrazy života (Pictures of Life) and Čas (Time). He also contributed to Květy (Blossoms) and Lumír. He became the de facto leader of a generation of writers that included Karolina Světlá, Vítězslav Hálek, Adolf Heyduk and Karel Sabina; devoted to continuing the legacy of Karel Hynek Mácha. They published their works in the literary almanac Máj. By 1871, various groups had labeled Neruda as a ‘Traitor to the Nation’, so he decided to spend some time away; visiting Italy, Greece, France, Germany, Hungary and Egypt. He kept detailed records of these journeys, which provide an interesting testimony to his life and times, with various insights that prove him to be a good observer. From 1883 to his death he lived on Vladislavova Street, 1382/14 in Nové Město, Prague.” (Jan Neruda, Wikipedia)