The 1960 work Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 by Rothko sustained visible surface scratches while on public view in Rotterdam’s Depot.
A painting by iconic abstract expressionist Mark Rothko, estimated to be worth €50 million(approximately $57 million), was recently damaged at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam. The incident occurred inside the museum’s Depot, a publicly accessible art storage facility adjacent to the main museum building.
The artwork, titled Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 (1960), suffered minor surface scratches when a child made contact with the canvas during what the museum described as an “unguarded moment.” According to a press statement, the damage is limited to the lower section of the unvarnished paint layer, and while superficial, it remains clearly visible.
The museum stated that conservation experts have been consulted both within the Netherlands and internationally to assess and determine the best approach for restoring the painting. While details about the painting’s valuation and potential restoration costs have not been disclosed, the institution affirmed its commitment to responsible conservation and has withheld any images of the damage from public circulation.
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
said a representative of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.
The museum has not confirmed who will bear the cost of the conservation process, nor has it commented on possible security protocol changes in the Depot following the incident.
About the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen
Opened in 2021, the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is the world’s first publicly accessible art storage facility. It houses over 150,000 works from the museum’s collection and offers visitors a behind-the-scenes look at art conservation, collection care, and museum operations.
Feature Image Credit- Artnews
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