A priceless artwork by the late Latvian artist Mark Rothko was damaged at the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The painting, titled “Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8,” is valued at around €50 million ($1.9 billion baht).
A child, whose identity hasn’t been revealed, caused minor scratches to the lower part of the unvarnished painting while no security personnel were nearby.
Museum officials are working with international experts to repair the damage.
Jonny Helm, marketing manager at Plowden & Smith, a fine art restoration company, notes that restoring Rothko’s work is complex due to his unique technique of mixing paint with resin and glue.
The lack of varnish on the painting makes it more vulnerable to environmental factors and complicates the restoration.
Restoration Challenges
Restorers will likely study past successful restorations of Rothko’s works and assess the damage.
This isn’t the first time Rothko’s art has been damaged.
In 2012, his “Black on Maroon” was vandalized at the Tate Modern in London by Vladimir Umanets.
The restoration took 18 months and cost around £200,000 ($8.96 million baht).
Insurance companies like Aon typically cover accidental damage to artworks.
The Boijmans Van Beuningen museum hasn’t disclosed who will be responsible for the costs.
In the past, the museum has billed visitors for damages caused to artworks.
The incident highlights the challenges of preserving priceless artworks.
The museum has not released details on how the child damaged the painting.