A Mark Rothko painting valued in the tens of millions was taken off display at a Dutch museum after it was damaged by a child visitor.
Conservation experts are now working to restore "Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8" after a child scratched the surface of the painting during a visit to the Rotterdam gallery where it was being exhibited, CNN reported.
The large-scale abstract work, created in 1960 and measuring roughly 7.5 by 8.5 feet, was a highlight of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen's collection. However, due to ongoing renovations at the museum, the painting was temporarily housed at the nearby Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen.
The museum confirmed the incident in a statement emailed to CNN.
"The painting Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 by Mark Rothko has sustained superficial damage after a child touched the painting when it was on display. As a result, small scratches are visible in the unvarnished paint layer in the lower part of the painting," the statement read.
"Conservation expertise has been sought in the Netherlands and abroad. We are currently researching the next steps for the treatment of the painting. We expect that the work will be able to be shown again in the future."
According to comments made to the Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad (AD), the incident occurred during what the museum described as an "unguarded moment," the BBC reported.
The museum has declined to comment on the painting's current value, the estimated cost of repairs, or who will ultimately be responsible for covering the expenses.
In an online response to questions about the artwork's worth, the museum noted that it was acquired in the 1970s for an undisclosed price.
"An appraiser from an international auction house would be involved in a sale of an artist as famous as Rothko. The price is then very dependent on the condition, size, frame, etc."
Rothko, a Latvian-born American artist who died in 1970, gained international recognition for his "color field" paintings. His artworks continue to draw high prices at auction, with one piece — "Untitled," 1968 — selling for $23.9 million at Sotheby's in New York in November 2023.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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