Russian culture abroad: "Leo Tolstoy and His Time" exhibition opens in China

"Leo Tolstoy and his time" exhibition, which will show the personal belongings of the writer and the works of art from Yasnaya Polyana and Moscow museums’ collections, opens on September 23, 2014, at the National Museum of China.

"At the exhibition, in particular, a re-established private office of Leo Tolstoy will be shown, the authentic items, as well as the paintings and sculpture. Most of these objects and pieces of art recreate an atmosphere of the epoch, telling about the diverse relationships of Tolstoy, his interests, including his attention to China," - said an employee of the "Yasnaya Polyana" Museum-Estate of Leo Tolstoy.

The organization of this exhibition in China is not an accident, since Tolstoy’s works are constantly reissuing there. In addition, the writer's personal life had a lot of overlaps with this country; for instance, after Tolstoy had participated in the defense of Sevastopol, the Chinese government invited him as an instructor of artillery officers. Tolstoy preferred a literary career to a military and refused to go, which prevented him from seriously taking up the study of Chinese philosophy and culture.

Overall, the exhibition features over 200 memorial exhibits - Tolstoy’s personal belongings and clothing, which include "The Light of China" Lao Tzu with Tolstoy notes in the margins, and inkstand, which he used while working on "War and Peace". Also, proof of the novel "Resurrection", which has never been shown to the public, either in Russia or abroad, is being displayed for the first time at the exhibition.

According to the organizers, the centerpiece is a portrait of Tolstoy, written by Ilya Repin in Yasnaya Polyana in 1887. The painting, not counting the evacuation, had never leaved before the museum-estate.

"Leo Tolstoy and His Time" exhibition will continue until the end of December 2014.