Why Mark Rothko's $56 million painting was damaged

Conservators will now have to repair Mark Rothko's Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 after it was scratched by a child.

The 1960 abstract painting, measuring 2.28 meters (7.9 feet) tall and 2.59 meters (8.9 feet) wide, is on display in the central gallery of the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum in Rotterdam. The museum confirmed the incident in an emailed statement to CNN .

Mark Rothko's artwork Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM

"Mark Rothko's painting Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 suffered surface damage after a child touched the work on display. As a result, small scratches are visible on the unvarnished paint on the lower part of the painting. We have sought expert conservation in the Netherlands and abroad. We are currently studying the next steps to treat the painting. We hope that the work will be able to be displayed again in the future," the statement said.

Cost of repairing Mark Rothko's precious painting has not been revealed

The museum refused to disclose the cost of repairing the damage, telling The Times that the damage was “caused by a child accidentally scratching the bottom of the work”.

The painting was previously described as "a meditative and strikingly colourful landscape piece" by curator Saskia van Kampen-Prein in a video posted on the museum's Instagram on March 31.

The museum did not name the child involved in the incident. They also declined to comment on who would be responsible for paying for the damage.

Painter Mark Rothko (1903-1970)

PHOTO: MARKROTHKO.COM

This is not the first time an artwork at the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum has been damaged.

In 2011, several visitors accidentally stepped on the Peanut-Butter Platform , causing peanut butter to spill all over the floor. At the time, the museum said those responsible for the damage were required to pay for the cleanup costs.

Famous Latvian-American painter Mark Rothko (1903-1970) practiced the abstract expressionist style. His works have sold for tens of millions of dollars at many auctions, the highest of which was $86.9 million in 2012 for his work Orange, Red, Yellow , according to Art News .

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ly-do-buc-tranh-tri-gia-56-trieu-usd-cua-danh-hoa-mark-rothko-bi-hong-185250429102914422.htm