Tolstoy was famous in his day. As was Dostoevsky, Hemingway, Picasso, etc. Sure there were a few, like Van Gogh, who died before becoming recognized, but they were fractional exceptions.

Show me one great artist living today -- anyone who can compete with a Tolstoy or even a Hemingway. Below Cormac McCarthy and Jonathan Franzen are mentioned, but I don't think anyone in their right mind would put them remotely at that level. You're waiting for history and there's no sign that you'll do anything but keep waiting.