This silver commemorative coin has been issued by the Central Bank of Armenia under the International Numismatic Program "Painters of the World". It is dedicated to Hovhannes Aivazovsky. Hovhannes Aivazovsky (1817-1900) is a Russian painter of Armenian descent, most famous for his seascapes, which constitute the major part of his paintings. H. Aivazovsky was born in Feodosiya, Russia. He graduated from the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts with the gold medal. His early seascapes and landscapes made him widely popular in Russia and Europe and offered him an opportunity to travel and exhibit his works. Aivazovsky left more than 6000 paintings. With funds earned during his successful career as an artist he opened an art school and gallery in his native town of Feodosiya. Obverse of the coin depicts a fragment from the seascape "Storm", and reverse of the coin depicts a fragment from the seascape "The Battle of Chesme".