Child damages Rothko painting worth up to €50 million at Rotterdam museum
A child severely damaged one of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen’s most valuable paintings this spring during an unsupervised moment, the museum confirmed. The artwork, Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 by American artist Mark Rothko, is estimated to be worth between 40 and 50 million euros, according to AD.
The incident occurred at the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, where the painting was on display as part of the exhibition Lievelingen. With the museum's main building closed for renovations until at least 2030, seventy of the collection’s most popular pieces, ranging from Pieter Bruegel to Salvador Dalí, have been shown in the adjacent Depot.
In a statement, a museum spokesperson said, "The work by Rothko (Grey, orange on maroon, no. 8) has suffered damage: a number of visible scratches in the unvarnished paint layer. It happened because a child, in an unsupervised moment, touched the lower part of the work."
Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8, acquired by Boijmans in 1970, is one of only two Rothko paintings in the Netherlands and is among the museum’s most valuable pieces. Rothko, who lived from 1903 to 1970, is known for large abstract paintings with "floating color fields."
The damaged painting previously held a prominent place in the 2021 exhibition Rothko en ik at the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam. During that exhibition, visitors were allowed to spend ten minutes alone with the artwork in a sealed room. Some visitors were reportedly moved to tears.
In the Depot, however, the situation turned when the child escaped attention. The museum has not yet determined how the painting will be restored. "We are currently investigating, in collaboration with experts, what the next steps for treatment are," the museum stated. "We expect the work can be displayed again in the future." The damage is located on the section where the canvas is stretched around the frame, according to the museum.
The artwork's value underscores the seriousness of the incident. In 2022, Dutch art collector Bert Kreuk estimated that Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 would fetch between 40 and 50 million euros if sold. "A Rothko with three colors is always worth more than a Rothko with two colors," Kreuk said to AD at the time.
Kreuk explained that the surge in prices for modern art is fueled by wealthy buyers from Russia, China, and the Arab oil states. "They want a piece by a major name, something that sets them apart. Something flashy, with colors. A painting that fits above the sofa in their modern living rooms," he said.
The museum has not disclosed how much the repair might cost or who will pay for it. Typically, museums hold visitors financially responsible for damage, claiming costs through the individual's insurance. In this case, the identity of the child and the parents is known, but Boijmans declined to comment further.
This is not the first time Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen has dealt with visitor accidents. In 2011, several incidents occurred involving Wim T. Schippers’s Pindakaasvloer, a 4-by-14 meter artwork made of a thick layer of peanut butter. On four occasions, unsuspecting visitors stepped onto the sticky surface, dirtying their shoes and receiving bills for the plastering needed to restore the artwork to its original smooth condition.
