Lviv customs officers discovered an ancient 17th-century icon, painted by Andreas Asper, during customs control at the border. Experts valued it at 25 thousand US dollars, confirming its historical and cultural value.
At the Shehyni – Medyka checkpoint on the Ukrainian-Polish border, Lviv customs officers stopped an attempt to illegally move an ancient 17th-century icon abroad. Experts from the National Museum in Lviv confirmed its authenticity and recognized it as a historical and cultural value. This was reported by representatives of the Lviv Customs on Facebook, writes UNN.
During customs control of a Volkswagen Crafter car, which a citizen of Ukraine was returning from Poland in, employees of the Lviv Customs found an ancient icon among the passenger's personal belongings. The painting depicting a Gospel scene belongs to the brush of Andreas Asper – a Swiss artist of the early 17th century.
In order to verify the legality of moving the item across the border, the icon was sent for examination to the National Museum in Lviv. After a thorough analysis, experts concluded that it is a museum exhibit that has significant historical and cultural value.
According to the experts' conclusion, the work depicting the holy apostles Peter and Paul is estimated at approximately 25 thousand Euros.