Oslo  - A Norwegian insurance company Tuesday posted a reward for information securing the safe return of a painting by German master Lucas Carnach, the elder, stolen over weekend, reports said.

According to some estimates the painting was worth at least 15 million kroner (2.1 million dollars) while the reward was 500,000 kroner.

The over 400-year-old painting was stolen from Larvik Church, some 105 kilometres southwest of Oslo. The congregation has owned it for over 300 years.

Carnach (1472-1553) was a German Renaissance painter who made several portraits of German theologian and church reformer Martin Luther, and also illustrated the Bible that Luther translated into German. (dpa)