This photograph was taken after Anton Chekhov was discharged from the hospital, where he had been treated for pulmonary hemorrhage due to an attack of tuberculosis. In the winter of 1897, Chekhov was working on the story “Muzhiki” and in the spring, while in hospital, he carefully proofread and edited his text.

The story is inspired by life in Melikhovo, where the Chekhovs moved in March 1892. According to Chekhov’s brother Mikhail, the story “shows scenes and characters of Melikhovo on each page”.

Chekhov wrote to his publisher Alexei Suvorin,

Chekhov soon removed the chapter containing a conversation between peasants about religion and power.

The story was published in the April issue of “Russkaya Mysl”, which immediately angered the censor Sokolov. He thought that the story “describes the situation of the peasants living in the villages with excessively gloomy colors”. Chekhov wrote openly that “the peasants are rude, dishonest, dirty and drunk. Who runs a tavern and gets people drunk? The muzhik. Who squanders and drinks away community money? The muzhik.”

Sokolov’s report was sent to the Moscow Censorship Committee, and from there to Saint Petersburg, to the Main Directorate for the Press. A telegram came from Saint Petersburg, “Page 193 of Chekhov is to be removed. In case of disagreement, arrest the issue of ‘Russkaya Mysl’. This is how a fragment of text was cut out of the already printed circulation. Anton Chekhov wrote to the publicist Mikhail Menshikov, “The censors snatched a decent chunk out of “Muzhiki”. Menshikov spoke enthusiastically about the story,

Leo Tolstoy, however, took a completely opposite stand,

After all the disputes, Alexey Suvorin suggested that the story “Muzhiki” be published as a separate book. Chekhov restored the text withdrawn by the censorship, and in the same year a book with two stories — “Muzhiki” and “My Life” was published. Later, Anton Pavlovich remarked,