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An exhibition featuring 193 of 274 pictures stolen from the Mustafayev State Museum of Arts in 1993 opened at the museum Friday. The drawings include works by French artist Jacques Caldeau, Italian Bella Stefano Della, Gizi Gorgo, Raimondi Markatonno, etc. There are also miniatures of Azeri, Indian, Iranian artists created in the 17-19th centuries, as well as pictures of Russian artists Brulov, the Makovski brothers, Serov, etc.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Minister for Culture Polad Bul-Bul Oglu informed the audience of the details of the story, starting from the theft, detention and trial of thieves, and the return of the artworks to Azerbaijan.

After being stolen in 1993, the pictures were discovered in the USA in 1997, as a Japanese national Koga was trying to sell them. The trial in 1999 convicted Natavan Asgarova, Azeri national, who spent 11 months in prison. However, it is her husband who is responsible for the theft, but he is still at large and is on the Interpol wanted list. 193 works were brought to Baku on June 26, while the whereabouts of the rest are unknown.

The exhibition will last till September.*