THE TOLSTOYS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

‘The Tolstoys in the 21st Century’ is a series of eighty-two portraits of living descendants and relatives of Leo Tolstoy. Gathered from as far afield as Britain, the Czech Republic, Italy, Sweden and the U.S. for the biennial reunion. It was published as a book in 2015, by Merrell, and launched at Waterstones Piccadilly. The photographs were taken outside Moscow at Yasnaya Polyana, the birthplace of Tolstoy, where he wrote and is buried. The house, virtually untouched since Tolstoy’s days revealed itself to be a deeply moving atmospheric setting as the 21st century Tolstoys sat for their portraits surrounded by the personal effects of the great writer.