A child caused superficial scratches to a Mark Rothko painting valued at £42.5 million during an unguarded moment at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam. Experts are now consulting on restoration options to preserve the artwork for future display.
A child has caused damage to a painting valued at approximately €50 million (£42.5 million) by the American abstract artist Mark Rothko at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The incident, which occurred during an “unguarded moment,” has prompted the museum to assess the extent of the harm to the artwork titled Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8, and determine appropriate conservation measures.
According to a spokesperson for the museum, the damage to the Rothko painting is “superficial,” with small scratches visible in the unvarnished paint layer located in the lower section of the piece. The museum is currently consulting with art conservation experts both within the Netherlands and internationally to explore options for repairing the work. The spokesperson expressed optimism that the painting could be displayed again in the future following restoration efforts.
Sophie McAloone, conservation manager at the Fine Art Restoration Company, explained the particular vulnerability of modern unvarnished paintings like Rothko’s, noting that “modern unvarnished” pieces are especially prone to damage because of their complex materials, absence of a protective varnish, and the presence of large areas of flat colour, which make any damage immediately noticeable. She noted that in this case, “scratching of the upper paint layers can have a significant impact on the viewing experience of the piece.”
The Rothko painting was on display in the museum’s Depot, a publicly accessible storage facility adjacent to the main museum building, as part of an exhibition showcasing “public favourites” from the gallery’s collection.
The incident raises questions for other cultural institutions considering similar public access to archival collections. Jonny Helm, marketing manager at art restoration service Plowden & Smith, highlighted that such events could influence policies at UK institutions like V&A East and the British Museum, which are exploring ways to open up their archives to the public. “How will this event affect other UK institutions who are opening up their archives in the same way?” he said.
Restoring Rothko paintings poses substantial challenges due to the artist’s complex mixture of pigments, resins, and adhesives. Additionally, the unvarnished nature of the work leaves it more exposed to environmental effects, complicating conservation efforts further, noted Mr Helm. Conservators are expected to document the damage thoroughly and research previous successful treatments of Rothko paintings before proceeding with restoration.
This is not the first instance of damage to a Rothko artwork. Notably, Rothko’s 1958 painting Black on Maroon was deliberately vandalised at London’s Tate Modern by Wlodzimierz Umaniec in October 2012. Umaniec was sentenced to two years in prison and later apologised for the act. The repair of Black on Maroon cost around £200,000 and took conservators 18 months to complete before the painting was returned to display.
The Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen continues to evaluate the situation as they collaborate with conservation specialists to devise a plan for the preservation and future exhibition of the damaged Rothko painting.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The incident is recent and does not appear to be a recycled story, as it involves a specific event and ongoing conservation efforts. However, without an exact date of occurrence or very recent updates, it is difficult to assign a perfect score.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Quotes from Sophie McAloone and Jonny Helm are present but lack specific source verification beyond the narrative. Despite this, they seem original and contextually appropriate.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from the BBC, a well-known and reputable media outlet.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claim that a Rothko painting was damaged and is undergoing evaluation for restoration is plausible, given similar past incidents and the inherent vulnerability of unvarnished modern art pieces. However, specific details about future policy changes at other institutions are speculative.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is considered reliable due to its source and plausible content, with no significant indicators of outdated or inaccurate information. The freshness check is nearly perfect, lacking only more precise temporal details.
