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Czech police recover stolen surrealistic painting by Toyen

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson

PRAGUE (AP) – Police have recovered a painting by Czech surrealistic Toyen that was stolen 17 years ago from a private owner.

Spokesman Roman Skrepek says police recovered the painting Northern Landscape on Tuesday after two unidentified suspects tried to sell it.

The painting is considered one of Toyen’s most important works, and could be worth more than its previous estimated value of 6 million koruna ($305,000). Another painting by the Czech artist, The Sleeper, sold for 20 million koruna ($1 million) at an auction last month.

Toyen, whose real name was Marie Cerminova, worked with surrealist artists including France’s Andre Breton before her death in Paris in 1980.

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