Russia: 'Bored' security guard vandalises 'Three Figures' painting worth over Rs 7.5 crore

The offender, who vandalised Anna Leporskaya's famous painting titled "Three Figures," which is speculated to be around $1 million has been identified, two months after the painting was destroyed. The man is identified as the security guard, who was "bored" when he vandalised the painting. The painting features three featureless people, that was of course until the security guard decided to draw small eyes with a pen on the abstract faces of two figures in the picture.

As per the reports of the Art Newspaper, the change in the painting was seen by two visitors on the evening of December 7, who alerted the gallery employee. The canvas was quickly withdrawn from the show and returned to the Tretyakov Gallery, where it was inspected the next day and transferred to Moscow. On Tuesday, the Yeltsin Center said in a statement that the person who painted the eyes on the figures in the painting by Anna Leporskaya was identified during the investigation and that he is an employee of a private security organisation that performs security activities for the Yeltsin Center.

Painting's actual worth is uncertain

The painting's actual worth is uncertain, however, it was insured by the Alfa insurance firm for £740,000, which is around Rs 7.5 crore. The painting was borrowed from Moscow's State Tretyakov Gallery, according to Sputnik. The guard's alteration was declared vandalism, and an investigation was launched.

The 60-year-old security guard was fired after the incident. A vandalism inquiry has been launched in Yekaterinburg and the culprit might face a fine of £395 (40,058 RUB) and a one-year prison sentence if found guilty. The security guard's identity has remained a mystery. The experts said that the picture is being restored and that the damage may be removed without harming the work of art. RUB 250,000 was listed as the cost of the painting damage, according to Sputnik. Damages were paid by the security company.

More about Anna Leporskaya

Anna Leporskaya, the artist of the painting was born in Russia in 1900 and studied under Kazimir Malevich, a well-known avant-garde Russian artist. Between 1932 and 1934, the artist worked on the painting "Three Figures" for three years. Her works are well-represented in the Russian Museum's collection, in addition to the Tretyakov Gallery. She also collaborated with artists like Nikolai Suetin and Lev Yudin.

Image: Pixabay