Leo Tolstoy and Pavel Troubetskoy met in 1898 when the latter arrived in Russia. A mutual understanding immediately developed between the two, which later blossomed into a friendship. According to the recollections of Tolstoy’s personal secretary, Valentin Bulgakov, the writer spoke highly of the sculptor Troubetskoy, describing him as follows,

Troubetskoy frequently visited Yasnaya Polyana and the Tolstoy House in Moscow, in Khamovniki district. The sculptor created several portraits of Tolstoy, including a half-length figure, a bust, and two equestrian statues, as well as several drawings. The Literary Museum at the Institute of Russian Literature houses a replica of the bust donated by Troubetskoy to the Saint Petersburg Tolstoy Museum in March 1911, four months after Tolstoy’s death. Distinguished by its exceptional quality, this bust was cast in Paris by the renowned bronze foundry of Claude Valsuani.

Troubetskoy received no formal education. As a young boy, he began studying sculpture and painting independently. In 1896, he came to Russia and created a number of portraits and sculptures of contemporary figures. From 1897 to 1900, he taught at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. In St. Petersburg, Troubetskoy participated in exhibitions organized by the associations “World of Art”, “Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions”, and “Union of Russian Artists”. He entered a competition to design a monument to Alexander III and his version was selected in the second round of voting. The bronze casting of the monument was completed without Troubetskoy’s involvement, as he had left Russia by that time. The monument was unveiled on May 23, 1909, but Troubetskoy was unable to attend the ceremony due to delays in obtaining the required entry documents from the Russian consulate.