Inspired by the story of the £42.5M Mark Rothko painting that was accidentally damaged by a child and their fingernails at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen recently, we looked up other terrible instances where priceless works were accidently harmed in an exhibition. We wouldn’t want to be any of the perpetrators of the following:

Shanghai, 2014 – A 12-year-old tripped and tore a $1.5M Paolo Porpora still life during a museum visit.

Fitzwilliam Museum, 2006 – A visitor stumbled downstairs, shattering three Qing vases in a spectacular accident.

Düsseldorf, 2011 – a cleaner scrubbed away at a $690,000 Joseph Beuys installation thinking it was dirt.

San Francisco, 2016 – a visitor at the new Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) accidentally elbowed an $80M Andy Warhol`s "Triple Elvis [Ferus Type]" painting, causing damage.

(Image sourced Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen website)
#markrothko #boijmansvanbeuningen #exhibition #paolapopora #fitzwilliammuseum #qing #josephbeuys #sfmoma#andywarhol #elvis

Image sourced Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen website

That`s a neat box! 😍

#packagingart #artpackaging #shippingart

So many elements to think of when shipping valuable art across borders, especially navigating US customs currently…

Here to help if you need a professional art handler`s support.

#shippingart #uscustoms