History and culture: The exhibition dedicated to the life of Leo Tolstoy’s granddaughter in the Museum-Estate “Yasnaya Polyana”

April 8, 2016 at the Museum-Estate of Leo Tolstoy "Yasnaya Polyana" (the Tula region) was opened the exhibition "If burn so burning…" dedicated to the life of an outstanding woman, granddaughter of Leo Tolstoy, the last wife of Sergey Yesenin - Sophia Andreyevna Tolstaya-Yesenina. The exhibition is timed to the 75th anniversary of the entry of Tolstaya-Yesenina as office director of united Tolstoy museums.

The exhibition can be divided into three conceptual blocks: Sonia - granddaughter of Leo Tolstoy, Sonia - the wife of Sergey Yesenin and Sofia Andreevna - director of Tolstoy's museum.

The exhibition features documents, photographs, books, and personal items from the collections of "Yasnaya Polyana", the State Museum of Leo Tolstoy (Moscow), the State Museum of S. A. Yesenin (pp. Konstantinovo) and the State Literary Museum (Moscow) as well as from private collections.

Sophia Tolstaya-Yesenina (1900-1957) was an extraordinary, intelligent, strong and passionate personality. In 1925, she met with Sergei Yesenin. After the death of Yesenin, when his name was legally banned, it has managed to create an archive of her husband, ready to print his collected works, publishes books, and in 1928 opened the first museum of Sergey Yesenin.

However, Sophia Tolstaya-Yeenina produced works dedicated to the works of Leo Tolstoy. In 1941 she took over the leadership of the museum in Yasnaya Polyana. During the Great Patriotic War, together with the museum staff she got permission for evacuation in Tomsk and returned back to Yasnaya Polyana and Moscow, artifacts, manuscripts and relics of the museum of Leo Tolstoy, thereby preserving the priceless heritage of the writer for future generations. Under her leadership, Yasnaya Polyana was restored as soon as possible, and in May 1942, the museum was opened to the public.

It is because of Sophia Andreevna thst appeared the United Museum of Leo Tolstoy. It was not just the traditional museum but research center for the study of artistic and philosophical heritage of the great writer.