A child has damaged a multi-million-pound painting by Mark Rothko at a museum in Rotterdam.
According to a spokesperson for the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, the institution is currently determining the appropriate restoration measures for Rothko’s Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8.
The incident occurred during an unmonitored moment, the spokesperson told the Dutch news outlet Algemeen Dagblad last week.
Speaking to the BBC, the museum clarified that the damage is “superficial,” involving minor scratches to the unvarnished paint layer in the lower section of the artwork.
Algemeen Dagblad estimates the abstract painting’s value at up to €50 million (£42.5 million).
“Conservation experts from both the Netherlands and abroad have been consulted. We’re now assessing the next steps in restoring the piece,” the museum added.
They also expressed optimism that the painting will eventually return to public display.
Sophie McAloone, conservation manager at the Fine Art Restoration Company, explained that modern unvarnished artworks like Rothko’s are especially vulnerable due to their unique materials, absence of a protective coating, and large uniform color fields—factors that make even slight damage noticeable.
“In cases like this, scratches to the surface paint can significantly affect how the piece is experienced,” she said.
At the time of the incident, the Rothko work was on display in the museum’s Depot—a publicly accessible storage area next to the main building—as part of an exhibition featuring visitor favorites from the collection.
