A painting by Mark Rothko was damaged by a child during an “unsupervised moment,” as reported by a Dutch museum.
The abstract painting from 1960, “Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8”, was “scratched” by a child visiting the Rotterdam gallery Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen where it was on display.
The museum issued a statement saying, “A child touched ‘Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8’ by Mark Rothko during an exhibition, causing slight harm to the artwork. This resulted in minor abrasions appearing in the unpainted section at the bottom of the canvas. The museum has consulted conservation specialists both domestically and internationally. At present, we are exploring further actions required for restoring the piece. Our expectation is that this artwork will once more be displayed publicly.”
While the museum declined to say how much the painting is worth,
Rothko’s works
regularly fetch millions of dollars at auction.
For example, his creation titled “Untitled, 1968” was auctioned off for $23.9 million at Sotheby’s in New York back in November 2023.
Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad (AD) estimates “Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8” to be worth up to €50million.
The expenses for the repairs and who will cover them are still undisclosed.
The Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen has formerly requested visitors to bear the expenses of repairing damages incurred to art pieces. Back in 2011, a visitor who inadvertently trod on “Pindakaasvloer” (“Peanut Butter Floor”), an installation created by Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers, was obligated to contribute towards its restoration.
When it comes to children, however, some museums deal with accidents differently.
Last year, a valuable 3,500-year-old vase was discovered.
accidentally shattered by a four-year-old boy
During a trip to the Hecht Museum in northern Israel.
The jar, which dates back to the
Bronze Age
Between 2200 and 1500 BC, they were exhibited near the museum entrance without protective glass.
There have been occasions when exhibit pieces were deliberately harmed, and these situations are dealt with very seriously, often involving law enforcement,” stated Inbal Rivlin, the director of the Hecht Museum, at the time. “However, this particular instance did not involve intentional damage. Instead, a young visitor accidentally broke the jar, so the response will reflect this circumstance.
The answer was that the child and his family were welcomed back to the exhibition for a scheduled guided tour aimed at “improving” their prior experience at the museum.