Recovered Kuindzhi's painting authenticity not doubted

Experts have already inspected Arkhip Kuindzhi’s painting 'Ai-Petri. Crimea' and have not doubt that it is authentic, Head of the Russian Culture Ministry’s Museum Department Vladislav Kononov said.

"As far as I know, experts have already seen the painting and they have no doubts," he said.

Kononov added that experts were more concerned about the painting’s condition. "Experts are more concerned about preserving the painting after it was exposed to freezing temperatures," TASS cited Kononov as saying.

The painting titled 'Ai-Petri. Crimea' by Arkhip Kuindzhi was stolen from the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow on January 27 but was recovered the next day. The painting comes from the collection of the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg and was brought to Moscow for an exhibition of Kuindzhi’s masterpieces. The 39 by 53 cm painting in oil on canvas and paper dates back to the 1890s.