One of the Netherlands’ most valuable paintings has been removed from display after a child accidentally damaged the piece.
Mark Rothko’s 1960 work, Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8, was left scratched when a child brushed against it during a visit to Rotterdam’s Depot of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, according to ABC News.
The depot, which is an art storage facility connected to the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, lets visitors check out thousands of works without some of the typical protections found in a museum.
The child, who is reportedly under 5 years old, reportedly waved their hand too close to the canvas.
Rothko’s painting was on display as part of an exhibition at the depot while the main museum undergoes renovation until at least 2030. It has since been removed from the depot and transferred to the museum’s conservation lab.
The painting has never been auctioned but is estimated to be worth between $50 million and $60 million, according to a European art collector. It was acquired by the museum in 1970, the same year as Rothko's death.
“The work by Rothko has suffered damage: a number of visible scratches in the unvarnished paint layer,” said museum spokesperson Vincent Cardinaal, per ABC News. “It happened because a child, in an unsupervised moment, touched the lower part of the work. There was no intent. This was not vandalism.
“We are currently researching the next steps for treatment and expect that the work will be able to be shown again in the future,” Cardinaal added.
The museum declined to share photos of the damage or name who would cover the costs of the restoration.
“We never disclose information regarding valuation, security, or insurance,” Cardinaal said. “That is standard policy—not just here, but across most major museums in Europe.”
Art crime expert Arthur Brand noted the fragility of Rothko’s works and said that potential costs of repair could reach up to $150,000.
“This wasn’t a protest or criminal act. It was a child being a child,” Brand said. “But Rothko’s surfaces are incredibly sensitive. A single swipe can mean months of restoration and tens of thousands in costs.
“We should protect these works—absolutely—but we also need to let kids be around art. That’s how they fall in love with it,” he added. “In every crowd of 100, there’s always one person—or in this case, one tiny hand—capable of a very big accident.”
