Doctor A.P. Chekhov

As a doctor, Chekov struggled against illnesses of the human body. As a writer, Chekov struggled against another kind of illnesses using his short stories as a “medicine”. He derided ignorance, roughness, haughtiness, conceit and other human vices. Chekhov wanted people to get better.

Chekhov won universal recognition thanks to cooperation with A.S. Suvorin, the owner of the Russian journal “Novoe Vremya” (“The New Time”) who began to publish Chekhov’s works in his journal and edited the book of collected works “In Twilight” (1887). These publications became a remarkable event of Russian literature revealing the unique, pensive, exquisite and artistic talent of Chekhov. At the exhibition is displayed the tenth edition of the book of collected works “In Twilight” edited by the famous publisher A.S. Suvorin in 1894.

In the early 1890s Chekov became one of the most popular writers in Russia. The Russian journals “Severny Vestnik” (The Northern Herald”), “Russkaya Mysl” (“The Russian Thought”), “Novoe Vremya” (“The New Time”) and “Russkiye Vedomosti” (“The Russian Gazette”) published willingly his works; particular editions and books of collected works (“The Short Stories”, 1888; “The Sullen People”, 1890; “Tales and Short Stories”, 1894), were repeatedly republished and found a deep resonance among literati. At the exposition is displayed the book of collected works “Tales and Short Stories” published by I.D. Sytin printing house in 1894.

A.P. Chekov had won a good name as a dramatist as well. Thus his famous plays “The Seagull”, “Uncle Vanya”, “The Three Sisters” and “The Cherry Orchard” had been staged at the Moscow Art Theatre in the writer’s lifetime. The play “The Cherry Orchard” was first published by the association “Znanie” (“The Knowledge”) in 1903. That was a particular achievement that Chekhov made after a long creative search. In the play the author considered a number of issues which are still relevant. The exhibition presents a book of collected works “The plays. The Many-Colored Stories” published in 1897 by A.S. Suvorin, along with the play “The Cherry Orchard” published by A.F. Marks publishing house in 1904.

Chekhov was a good friend to children to whom he wrote letters and sent presents. He wrote a lot of short stories for children: “Whitebrow”, “Kashtanka”, “Vanka” and others. Through these works the writer wanted to send a piece of kindness to young readers.