The twin brothers Moses and Rafael Sawyer were born on December 25, 1899 in Borisoglebsk, Tambov province, in the family of the teacher of Jewish history and literature Abraham Shoar (Sawyer). The family had six children. Father instilled in children an interest in art. "Art and literature were daily activities in our house. Our father was a writer and teacher, and the rest of the family was always busy with creative work - writing, drawing, embroidering, "Rafael Sawyer wrote in his autobiography. (Google translation of http://artukraine.com.ua/a/amerikanskie-druzya-otca-russkogo-futurizma-david-burlyuk-i-bratya-soyery/#.WSgnP4U41Wa where you can also see a great photo of the Soyer twins.)