BELGRADE, February 20./TASS/. The original painting "Idols (Pagan Rus)" by Russian painter Nicholas Roerich has been discovered at a Croatian museum, sources from the Russian Embassy to Croatia told TASS on Monday.
This painting is in the frame that Roerich made himself, depicting heads of Altai bears. The other paintings discovered in Croatia are Tibetan Camp, Path to Kailas, Kanchenjunga, Ashram, Tashiding, Teacher’s Order, Paranrvana and two more.
"All paintings are in the ideal condition, in original frames," the embassy sources said. "Paintings "Idols. Pagan Rus" of 1913 are of the biggest value. This is the original, its only reduction is owned by a New York museum," the sources said.
Earlier, Russia’s Ambassador to Croatia Anvar Azimov told TASS that embassy employees had found at one of the local museums ten paintings by Roerich considered lost. He said work is underway on the return of these paintings to the Russian side.
Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947) was a Russian painter, philosopher, traveler and a public activist. He created about 7,000 paintings during his life, many of which can be now seen at renowned art galleries of the world. He also wrote about 30 volumes of literary works, including two volumes of poetry.
He was initiator of Roerich Pact, the first international treaty on protection of culture, and the founder of international cultural movements Peace through Culture and the Banner of Peace.