Early Life and Artistic Beginnings (1885-1906) Duncan Grant, born Sarah Elievna Shtern in 1885 in Odesa, Ukraine – a vibrant port city steeped in artistic tradition – embarked on an extraordinary journey that would ultimately reshape the landscape of early 20th-century British art. His childhood was marked by upheaval and relocation, culminating in his arrival in Britain at the tender age of nine, following his parents’ death. Raised within the supportive environment of his maternal uncle Henri Terk, a successful lawyer, Grant received an unusually privileged upbringing, one that included ex…