London auctioneers told: 'Give us back stolen icon'
Published 29 May, 2008, 11:34
Russia's Ministry of Culture is asking London auction house Christie’s to hand over a rare religious icon. The object in question is a conventional image on a wooden panel. It is used by Orthodox Christians during worship. It is believed the item was stolen from a Moscow museum in 1994.
The icon is part of a large collection of Orthodox religious relics that is due to go under the hammer at Christies in early June. It’s estimated the artifact could fetch $US 70.000.
This particular icon depicts the procession of Ivan III and is thought to have been taken from the Kolomenskoe Museum complex.
The Culture Ministry routinely reviews all Russian artifacts that go up for auction.
It’s not the only problem Christie’s faces before the sale. Russian painter Ilya Glazunov is demanding that the auction house withdraw from sale a picture entitled “View of Kremlin”. According to the catalogue, it’s Glazunov’s work. But the artist denies any connection with the piece, describing it as a “terrible” piece of low quality work that brings shame on his good name.
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