Moravov painted a wonderful portrait of Tolstoy at work in his office, which was highly appreciated by the public.

Moravov created one more work in Yasnaya Polyana — “L.N. Tolstoy and A.B. Goldenweiser Playing Chess in Yasnaya Polyana”. It is known that Tolstoy loved chess. But, as Alexander Goldenweiser noted, he was not a chess player in the serious sense of the word, he was not interested in theory.

Often, more cautious players would break his attacks and they would crumble like a house of cards. Then Tolstoy jumped up, clutched his head, and shouted, frightening everyone present — that was how emotionally he perceived the defeat. And if Tolstoy won, then he was happy, like a child. This is one of those chess games that Alexander Moravov captured on his canvas.

In the picture, two talented people sit at a small chess table in cozy semi-armchairs. Their game is almost over, only a few pieces remain on the chessboard, but it is not clear who has won. Nobody wants to lose the game: both look intently at the arrangement of pieces, mentally calculating all the moves and results. The two outstanding people kept the lively interest in chess from young to old age.

The museum houses a photograph of the artist’s painting, taken by Leo Tolstoy’s close friend Vladimir Chertkov.