The drawing by Sergey Chekhov (the writer’s nephew) in the center of the display panel shows the dacha (country house) of countess Panina in Gaspra. In 1901–1902, Leo Tolstoy and his family lived at that dacha. The picture on the right-hand side of the display panel shows Chekhov visiting Tolstoy, 12 September 1901. Chekhov wrote to his wife Olga Knipper about that picture: “Please find attached a picture; it shows the Tolstoy family – the old man and his wife, … and in the foreground there is your spouse. The picture in the center of the display panel was taken by a literary man, a common acquaintance of Chekhov and Tolstoy, Pyotr Sergeenko. Later he retouched the picture, and that copy is now widely known.
The picture of Chekhov and Tolstoy against the open window was taken by Tolstoy”s wife, Sofya Andreevna. In early December 1901 Tolstoy stayed for a week with his daughter Maria Obolenskaya, at her dacha “Omyur” in Yalta. From there he made telephone calls to Chekhoov in Autka. The amateur picture of Tolstoy was made at the balcony of the “Omyur” dacha. Soon after that the great writer fell seriously ill. He was visited in Gaspra by Chekhov and Gorky who stayed with him at that time.
Tolstoy praised Chekhov’s works highly calling him ‘Pushkin in prose’ and an ‘incomparable artist of life’. At the same time, he liked Chekhov as a personality: ‘he was a charming man: decent and nice’. Chekhov, in his turn, always showed respect and love to Tolstoy.
The picture of Chekhov and Tolstoy against the open window was taken by Tolstoy”s wife, Sofya Andreevna. In early December 1901 Tolstoy stayed for a week with his daughter Maria Obolenskaya, at her dacha “Omyur” in Yalta. From there he made telephone calls to Chekhoov in Autka. The amateur picture of Tolstoy was made at the balcony of the “Omyur” dacha. Soon after that the great writer fell seriously ill. He was visited in Gaspra by Chekhov and Gorky who stayed with him at that time.
Tolstoy praised Chekhov’s works highly calling him ‘Pushkin in prose’ and an ‘incomparable artist of life’. At the same time, he liked Chekhov as a personality: ‘he was a charming man: decent and nice’. Chekhov, in his turn, always showed respect and love to Tolstoy.
