Leo Tolstoy, the renowned Russian writer of the 19th century, is best known for landmark novels such as War and Peace and Anna Karenina , which continue to be regarded as some of the greatest works in world literature. However, Tolstoy was more than a novelist. In his later years, he became a moral philosopher, questioning wealth, violence and social inequality while embracing a simpler way of life. His ideas on nonviolence later influenced figures such as Mahatma Gandhi.
Toward the end of his life, Tolstoy turned his attention to the nature and purpose of art. In his 1897 book What Is Art? , he challenged the idea that art exists primarily to create beauty or showcase technical skill. For Tolstoy, art had a deeper purpose: connecting people through shared emotions.
