U njegovoj radnoj sobi sve je kao što je i bilo, a tu su i pera od trešnjinog drveta Everything in his study today is exactly as it was, while there are also quills made of cherry wood
creating. And if you listen a little more closely to the silence that still reigns in these rooms, it might seem to you that you can hear Leo and Maxim Gorky playing their famous games of chess in the main lounge or the quiet sounds of the piano whose keys were read by the then very young Rachmaninoff. More than 6,000 personal items of the Tolstoy family will ad- dress you through the prism of time, recounting the story of where and how the creator of such masterpieces as War and Peace or Anna Karenina lived. At the time he moved to this wooden house in Moscow, his life changed fundamentally. From a raucous lov- er of women, alcohol and gambling, he became almost ascetic, adopting the principles of Christian humanism, and again going to war with the church, which excommunicated him at the end of 1901. It was at that time that Tolstoy adopted four criteria of life. He placed an emphasis on physical work, mental power, handi- crafts and communication with people, and all of that can be seen clearly in his home. He rose at around seven o’clock and went to fetch water and firewood. He first sat on a bicycle at the age of 67, after which he rode it regularly. Tolstoy took great care of his physical health, prac- ticing gymnastics, lifting weights, maintaining a vegetarian diet, walking a lot and sleeping well. He liked to work with his hands, and in the museum you can also see a pair of leather boots that Tol- stoy made himself. He made shoes as a hobby and was very skilled at that. Of course, most of his day was dedicated to literature. He wrote for hours in his study, which today stands as though Leo might return at any moment, with precious quills made of cherry wood and handwritten manuscripts... He was very shortsighted, so he cut down the legs of his chair himself, in order to be able to sit closer to the desk and paper... When he wasn’t writing, he was achieving his fourth goal – communication. His house welcomed famous people of that time as guests. Playing on the piano in the main lounge was a young Ser- gei Rachmaninoff, but also Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; singing there
was the most famous Russian bass opera singer, Feodor Chalia- pin, while Ilya Repin painted portraits of the family. Maxim Gorky stopped by to play chess, which can also be seen in the lounge. Many great writers came to visit - Chekhov was a regular visitor, while Ostrovsky also came... “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”– we will quote Tolstoy himself to describe that life that was not just about him. He was married to Sophia, whom he affectionately referred to as Sonya. Prior to even marrying her, he gave her his diaries to read, detailing his previous sexual adven- tures, leaving her in no doubt about what she could expect from him. Although they were initially in love, the marriage quickly be- came unhappy and there wasn’t much love in the home of the Tol- stoys. Sophia gave him 13 children and took care of him and the home, albeit with the help of around a dozen servants, but her role was even more significant when it came to his work. She tire- lessly rewrote his writings into the early hours of the night, every day anew, acting as much more than a secretary. She a woman whose powerful mind enabled that to happen.
Voleo je da pravi obuću i bio veoma vešt u tome He liked to make shoes and was very skilled at doing so
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