July 15, 2011 - 12:43 AMT
Aivazovsky painting stolen from Moscow businessman

Moscow police have detained a woman on suspicion of stealing a painting by famous seascape painter Ivan Aivazovsky she was reportedly restoring, a police source told Itar-Tass on Friday, July 15.

According to the source, a businessman reported to police that he handed over to the woman Aivazovsky’s painting “Seashore. Calm. A Landscape with a Carriage and a Boat” estimated at about 18 million roubles. He failed to get the painting back after the restoration.

So far the man has not produced any documents confirming the painting’s authenticity.

The woman was detained on fraud charges. Police are taking efforts to find the painting, Itar-Tass reported.