Sculptor Leonty Usov and foundry worker Maxim Petrov created the monument, funded by the city's residents. Anton Chekhov, passing through Tomsk in 1890 on his way to Sakhalin, spent a week in the city. He did not like the city and repeatedly criticized it in his notes. The only pleasant memory for the writer was the meals at the "Slavonic Bazaar" restaurant.

In the sculptural composition, Chekhov is depicted barefoot, as legend has it, he lost a galosh in the mud of Tomsk. The monument is located opposite the "Slavonic Bazaar" restaurant in honor of his praise for the local cuisine. In this monument, Chekhov's irony combines with the self-irony of the residents of Tomsk: the writer in this form could only be seen by a drunken passerby from the gutter.

The monument consists of several parts: the handle of the umbrella is welded separately, while the pince-nez is cast together with the writer's head. Opinions about the monument are divided. Some consider it an insult to the memory of the great writer and demand its removal, while others see it as a popular city attraction. Locals and tourists often take photos by the monument, and students rub the nose of the sculpture before exams, which makes it shine. Every year, traditional "Chekhov Fridays" take place at the monument.