[Archive 2025-05-03] Child defaces abstract painting by Mark Rothko worth tens of millions on display in Dutch museum

Historical archive — originally published 2025-05-03. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

On Monday,Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 an abstract painting created by late abstract painter Mark Rothko was scratched by a child while on display in a Dutch museum during what was described as an "unguarded moment." The 1960 painting, which was characterized by curator Saskia van Kampen-Prein as "a meditative and striking color landscape," was said to be worth tens of millions of dollars.

A museum spokesperson told People Magazine that was dealt what was described as "superficial damage" after being touched by the child. According to the spokesperson, said the child's actions resulted in visible "small scratches" on then the unvarnished paint layer in the its lower section.

A spokesperson for the museum told BBC that the institute was seeking "conservation expertise" throughout the Netherlands and countries abroad, and conducting research regarding the restoration process. The spokesperson said that the museum expects the piece to eventually return to display in the exhibit.

Sophie McAloone, who serves as conservation manager at the Fine Art Restoration Company, said that pieces similar to No. 8 are "particularly susceptible to damage" due to an amalgamation of factors, including the complexity of the materials used and the fact that the painting did not have a traditional coating layer. McAloone continued, "In this case, scratching of the upper paint layers can have a significant impact on the viewing experience of the piece."

Jonny Helm, a marketing manager, stated that Rothko's amalgamations of pigments, resins, glues were "quite complex." According to him, "this isn't the first damaged Rothko we've heard about." "Black on Maroon," another of Rothko's works, was damaged by a vandal named Wlodzimierz Umaniec in a London gallery in 2012.

The museum did not identify the child, and did specify who would be financially responsible for the painting's restoration, or the potential costs. The museum also declined to share photos of the damage.

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