Erich Klossowski comes from an old Polish noble family of the
Rola coat of arms, the son of Leonard Klossowski, lawyer, notary and judge in Ragnit (then in
Prussia) and Lisbeth Doeurk de Fréval. He married Elisabeth Spiro dite
Baladine Klossowska(1886–1969), sister of painter Eugene Spiro, who was herself an artist, a pupil of
Pierre Bonnard and muse of
Rainer Maria Rilke, who nicknamed her Merline. The couple divorced in 1917. He was the father of
Pierre Klossowski and
Balthus. He was close to his compatriot
Wilhelm Uhde, whom he welcomed on his arrival in Paris. ==Works==