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A major artistic incident shook the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum in Rotterdam when a child damaged a priceless work by Mark Rothko. The painting, valued at over €40 million, now has several visible scratches, raising important questions about the supervision of children in museum spaces and liability in the event of artistic damage.
The incident that shocked the art world in the Netherlands
On 27 April 2025, an ordinary visit to the prestigious Boijmans Van Beuningen museum turned into an artistic disaster when an unsupervised child damaged an exceptional painting. The work “Grey, Orange on Maroon, No.8” by the American artist Mark Rothko, an emblematic figure of abstract expressionism, suffered several scratches on its unvarnished surface. A spokesman for the institution confirmed the incident, saying that “Rothko’s work has suffered visible damage to the paint layer”.
The child momentarily escaped the attention of gallery staff and scratched the underside of the painting, which is estimated to be worth around €40 million. This incident is a reminder of the importance of carefully supervising young visitors to cultural spaces. Just as some Florida residents were surprised to discover an alligator in their dining room, museum officials were faced with an unexpected and potentially costly situation. The Museum of Rotterdam has not yet revealed the identity of the child or the exact circumstances that allowed him to get so close to such a precious work. The incident raises questions about the safety protocols in place and the vigilance of the staff supervising visitors, particularly the very young.
Restoration process and financial implications
Faced with this delicate situation, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen reacted swiftly, contacting restoration experts from all over the world. “We are currently studying the next steps in the treatment of the painting. We hope that the work can be exhibited again soon”, said a representative of the museum. Restoring a work of this value is a considerable technical challenge requiring specialist skills. As for the cost of repairs, although the museum has not yet given a precise figure, the question of financial responsibility arises. According to usual practice in the museum sector, the costs are generally passed on to the visitors responsible for the damage. Cultural institutions often put in place specific procedures to cover the cost of restoration for people who have caused damage to works on display.
This situation is a reminder of the importance of always checking the provenance and condition of works of art, like the collectors who were lucky enough to discover that two plates bought for a few dollars were in fact Picasso’s creations. The difference here is that the value of the Rothko painting was already well established before the incident.
Previous incidents involving children in museums
Unfortunately, the incident at the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum is not an isolated one. In August 2024, a four-year-old child accidentally broke a 3,500-year-old vase at the Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel. This ancient artefact had just undergone meticulous restoration before being damaged again. These repeated incidents raise important questions about the preventive measures that museums should put in place to protect their heritage. The presence of priceless works in spaces accessible to the public, particularly children, represents a constant challenge for the managers of these institutions. Some institutions have strengthened their protocols by restricting access to certain rooms or installing additional protective barriers.
Parents should also be extra vigilant when taking their children on cultural visits. Just as it is advisable to clean second-hand clothes thoroughly before wearing them, it is essential to prepare children for appropriate behaviour in a museum before any visit.
Protecting artistic heritage from multiple risks
The damaged work by Mark Rothko, “Grey, Orange on Maroon, No.8”, is a perfect example of American abstract expressionist art. Its exceptional value of €40 million reflects not only its artistic quality but also its rarity and importance in the history of contemporary art. Rothko’s paintings are particularly vulnerable because of their unvarnished surface, a characteristic of the artist’s technique, which favoured the matt, porous appearance of pigments. This incident highlights the difficult balance that museums have to strike between making works accessible to the public and protecting them. While physical barriers, display cases and alarm systems can reduce the risks, they also diminish the aesthetic experience sought by visitors. Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, known for its impressive collection of modern and contemporary art, may have to reconsider its security measures.
For the international artistic community, every incident of this kind represents a potential loss to the world’s cultural heritage. Once damaged, works of art never fully recover their original condition, despite the most advanced restoration techniques. Educating the public, particularly young visitors, therefore remains a crucial challenge if these artistic treasures are to be preserved for future generations.
