Stolen Drtikol photograph found in US

[March 31, 2011]  PRAGUE (AP) -- Police say a print by famed Czech photographer Frantisek Drtikol stolen from a Prague museum was found in California.

The print of Drtikol's 1925 female nude "The Wave" disappeared March 13 from the Museum of Decorative Arts in the Czech capital.

Police spokeswoman Eva Kropacova says it was offered to be auctioned at a gallery in California. Kropacova says the gallery owner Joseph Bellow contacted the London-based Art Loss Register, which informed police investigators.

The print, which was insured for 1,25 million koruna ($71,500) was transported from London to Prague Wednesday.

Police declined to give any detail about a suspect who remains at large.

Prague museum has 10 prints of the photograph, including the one Drtikol marked "the final."

[Associated Press]

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