On January 20, 2014 Armenian community “Nor Nakhijevan” of Rostov-on-Don handed over the  painting called “From Century to Century” by Akim Avanesov to the National Gallery of Armenia for restoration. The painting  was dedicated to the Armenian Genocide. This project was carried out by the efforts of the Armenian community “Nor Nakhijevan” of Rostov-on-Don with Yerevan State University and National Gallery of Armenia.  The painting was handed over to the gallery by the executive director of the Armenian community of Rostov-on-Don Sergey Sayadov. This is one of those unique paintings, which was made during the Armenian Genocide. The presentation of the painting  took place in Rostov-on-Don in 1915. The painting will be exhibited in YSU and National Gallery of Armenia, after which it will be sent to Rostov-on-Don and will be exhibited in the Cultural Museum of Russian-Armenian Friendship.

Chief Director  of the National Gallery of Armenia Paravon Mirzoyan emphasized the importance of the event and added that the gallery often did such kind of  work, but it was the first time that they had to restore a painting brought from other country.

Akim Avanesov (Hovakim Hovhannisyan) was born in 1883 in Rostov-on-Don. He was head of the Artists Union of Rostov-on-Don. He was famous among Armenian and Russian artists. In 1915 Avanesov  created his painting  “From Century to Century”, which was considered to be the first painting depicting the Armenian Genocide in Western Armenia. In 1915 the painting was exhibited in Rostov-on-Don, after which it was kept for some time in the depository of Geological Museum of Rostov-on-Don.