I am completely disgusted by this entire purchase. I wanted to buy a few more before this ordeal. First, their site says they ship to the US and Canada by UPS. They shipped mine to the US by DHL and of course as is typical for DHL they sent it to the wrong receiving facility in my area. The painting was a day late and they didn't have me sign for it, just left it on my porch. Now I wish someone had stolen it!

When I opened it I immediately saw that this was a horridly poor reproduction of the painting they show on their site. The one I received is like a "paint by numbers" mess. Lifeless, flat, no emotion behind what is depicted. Then I noticed an area on the lower left corner, facing the painting, that had a large chunk of paint missing from the canvas. At the bend of the canvas frame the paint on that entire side is cracked and flaking. There was another chunk of missing paint at the top of that same side. To think I paid extra for this damage with what they call a museum wrap of the painting!

The attached photos are - the original on the website, what I received, the damage to the top left side, the damage to the lower left side.

I emailed their orders department, attached photos of the areas, and informed them the painting was flawed and that this was not what I paid for. They responded offering 3 options:

1 - you can return with prepaid return label. After the return, we issue a full refund. Please request the return label if you wish one

2 - we can provide a replacement of the same piece/s in form of prints on canvas. This way the image of the master original will be reproduced by a machine in its original size. This option does not require return

3- Free exchange for a different painting altogether or exchange for the same painting that you will like better

Use caution when dealing with Afremov.com

I am unsure at this point if the return shipping will be paid for by them. Considering they sent a flawed painting I would think they should pay for the return as it was their responsibility to provide what was shown on the site.

All in all it has not been a good experience. Please use caution when ordering from them and review the painting by photo prior to payment.

In all fairness I will update this review once/if this ordeal/problem has be rectified.
****** UPDATE 6/2/2021******

I sent Rain's Rustle in the Park back with a paid label from Afremov.com. In the meanwhile I thought I would chose a painting titled "The Fog of Dreams" as a replacement for the "Rain's Rustle in the Park". I asked for a photo of "The Fog of Dreams" for approval prior to their shipping it to me. Thank goodness I did. The photo of "The Fog of Dreams" showed a substandard painting lacking in Afremov's typical bold color contrasts. The website page for the sale of this painting stated that it was 100% hand painted by Leonid Afremov as a limited edition.

Leonid Afremov's paintings are a wonderful burst of color and contrast. To see what is now being offered as a re-creation of his work is shameful.

If Afremov.com wishes to sell re-creations of Leonid Afremov's work then they should display the actual re-creation not the original paining by Afremov. It is horribly misleading.

From my recent experience with this company the two paintings that were touted as being done by Leonid Afremov did not show his style nor his art. The photos I was sent showed poorly done re-creations being sold as if they were done by Leonid Afremov's hand.

As I stated previously I sent the "Rain's Rustle in the Park" re-creation back. They received it on the May 21 and they stated they issued the refund on May 24,2021. I was told it should be refunded to my card by Monday 31,2021. It was not. I contacted 2checkout.com, Afremov, com's payment processor and they have been repeatedly stating that "due to an internal error the refund will be delayed". I have yet to receive a notice that I have been issued a refund as was done with a prior purchase. So on June 2,2021 I filed a dispute with my card company and received a credit.

I gave them ample opportunity to make things right. I was open to trading for an original copy made by Leonid Afremov and they sent me photos for approval of terrible re-creations. I even purchased another painting "Mysterious Night Street" but requested yet another photo of the painting prior to them shipping it.(This is another review) I received that and did not approve and they refunded it right away. However, I have not received the refund for "Rain's Rustle in the Park" to date.

I purchased a "recreation" of a painting titled "Kiss of Passion." I loved the image on the Afremov website, but when I received the recreation, it was very different from the image on the website. Recreations are painted by Afremov's students, and while the subject of the painting is the same, the colors and brush strokes can be very different from what you think you're getting.

I told them I wasn't happy, and we discussed several options. They were patient and answered all my questions (and some of my questions were pretty ridiculous). Finally, I asked if I could use the Lifetime Exchange program to exchange my recreation for an exact print of the original painting. I emphasized that I loved the colors and brush strokes and I wanted an exact copy even if it was a print and not a painting.

They let me make the exchange and I just received the print. IT IS EXTRAORDINARY! I expected a high-resolution poster or photograph. But their print process somehow prints with paint and gives the canvas a three-dimensional look. The print is so detailed and textured that you can't tell it's just a print unless you look very closely at the canvas and actually touch it.

In the attached photo, the recreation I received is on the left and my new print is on the right. (The lighting is different because these photos were taken almost a year apart, but you get the idea.) While the recreation is a nice painting (and it is an original oil painting), the difference in colors and brush strokes between the recreation and the original are obvious.

If you want an original painting, the recreations are great. Just don't expect your painting to be identical to the image on the website. But if you want the identical image to what you see online, BUY A PRINT! I've been staring at my print for three days and still can't believe how gorgeous it is. They even stretched it onto a frame even though I didn't request that!

The Afremov customer service is fantastic and they will bend over backwards to make you happy. I must've emailed back and forth with them more than 20 times over the past year, and COVID delayed things every step of the way. But in the end, they wanted me to be happy, and I AM SO HAPPY WITH MY PRINT.

THANK YOU to everyone at Afremov for doing whatever it took to make me a satisfied customer. The only way I could be happier is if I could afford to buy the original painting!: D

~Lisa Gardner
New York City

I bought two "recreations" based on the photos on the website. BIG MISTAKE! The photos of the originals (Melody of the Night, and Spirits by the Lake) were really nice. The recreations are different enough that they just did not have the same feel to them and I do not want them. I am talking the palette knife strokes, the colors, the benches, the lamp posts and the distance perspectives are very different. If I had seen photos of them I would not have bought them for half of the $208 each I paid for them. Boris Afremov promised me two prints of the originals and said they would be ready in 2 to 3 weeks and I could keep the recreations. It has been over five weeks and they wouldn't answer four emails over the last two weeks. So I got on their Facebook page and gave them a bad review and they said they were not ignoring me and they shipped the prints. The tracking numbers David Afremov gave me were for the original order and he said "sorry, I'll get back to you" and I have asked again three times now. They deleted my review on Facebook and now I can't find the "Review" button to follow up on it. Boris gave me his "personal" cell number but he won't answer texts. So, two weeks later they are just giving me the run around. This is, perhaps, why you only see glowing reviews on their website. Go to their website and Facebook page and you'll see vids of them painting in the studio. Sadly, Leonid passed away last year and now there are students sitting there painting "recreations' of the originals like it is a factory. BE CAREFUL PEOPLE! The recreations are not bad paintings at all. But they are NOT the same and they don't feel the same! MAKE SURE YOU ASK FOR PHOTOS OF THE ACTUAL COPY YOU WILL RECEIVE! In the two pairs of photos I added, the two pics of the originals are in the middle and the "recreations" are on either end. Compare them for yourself. The colors are vibrant, but look at the perspective of the canal and the walking path receding in the distance. Look at the scrolled metal work on the lamp posts. Look at the bench and the dog. Just different. Not the same feel. Maybe I'm being picky but I want them on my walls so I can enjoy them. And don't expect to get your problems taken care of if you have anything bad to say!

Buyer Beware? Humbug! I have attached Recreation of ALLEY BY THE LAKE & ROMANTIC AURA (they pair perfectly together like a hot cup of coffee and a fine pastry), Studio Recreation & Limited Original completed entirely by the master himself, Leonid Afremov, of ON THE WAY TO MORNING, Recreation of THE MORNING RAIN IS GONE, which I swear was completed entirely by the master himself, (I am beginning to recognize and distinguish his palette strokes from his students.) Limited Original of KISS AFTER THE RAIN, (Upon looking at this masterpiece, I wished it wasn't a gift :) to my good friend.) (I am still waiting for the correct COA.) (Hurry up already Afremov.com....just teasing and kidding of course:) ) Recreation of AUTUMN STREAM AMBIENCE and SPRING STREAM. I am almost positive master student, now teacher, Christian Rubio, helped on all of my received Recreations :). Buyer Beware? I think not! Look at the attached pictures. Now, my favorite questions to my friends, family and coworkers and now to you readers: Which one of ON THE WAY TO MORNING do you like better, A or B? Which one is completed by master studio artist, Mariana Novelo and which is by the master or as we say in Chinese, Si Fu Leonid Afremov? Still apprehensive about a regular recreation? How about a studio recreation? Politely request for your favorite Afremov Studio artist to complete a painting for you. (I hope my picture will not inundate Mariana Novelo with too many requests :) after all, I did place her work right next to her teacher, Leonid Afremov's.) (Don't ask which painting of ON THE WAY TO MORNING is painted by who, I will not divulge.) David and Boris Afremov spent their lifetime promoting and displaying their dad's art work to us. We all love Leonid Afremov's work otherwise we wouldn't be here criticizing Afremov.com. If a received Recreation do not elicit the "wow' factor, give them a contact, and be polite. I am sure they will do their best to make you a happy customer. But please do not try to scam for a free painting or a discount. This is counterproductive to what the Afremov family is doing: They trying to spread beauty and a little bit of happiness to all of us via the paintings of Leonid Afremov and Leonid Afremov's students. As Stan Lee of Marvel Comics use to say, "Nuff said!" .....go see my photos and judge for yourself.

As of February 13, 2020, I have updated this review with some extra photo attachments of Limited Originals and a one of a kind original by Leonid Afremov. The photos are in order: Two of limited original of UNDER THE RED UMBRELLA, (I have 4-5 and 5-5) (Why did I buy two of the same painting?....because one of 'em is a gift..smile.), limited original of AUTUMN DAY (5-5), one of a kind MAGIC CITY and, finally limited original of ENIGMA OF THE NIGHT. Some of these limited originals are STILL available. In addition to UNDER THE RED UMBRELLA and ENIGMA OF THE NIGHT, there are still other limited originals available. On the Afremov site, type in "Limited Edition" and then search. The result should yield four pages. Within the four pages one should see the limited paintings, from Green Tree for $199.00, Candle Fire Dance for $250.00 to Walking Home for $700.00. I STRONGLY suggest one should email them to ensure the purchase will be a Limited Original and NOT a regular recreation before placing an order. Please post a review and photo attachments so us co-customers are able to see the end paintings. Thanks for reading.

Everything is fine!