Anton Chekhov v. The People of Tomsk

120 years ago, Anton Chekhov was on his way to the far east of Siberia. For one reason and another, he'd had a trying journey by the time he reached Tomsk, which may have influenced his view: 'Tomsk is a very dull town. To judge from the drunkards whose acquaintance I have made, and from the intellectual people who have come to the hotel to pay their respects to me, the inhabitants are very dull too.' The locals weren't too impressed, and put up this unflattering monument (Chekhov's the one on the left).