Art

A Child, a Rothko… What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

At Rotterdam’s Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, a Mark Rothko painting was accidentally scratched by a child—raising questions about open-access displays.

Por: Angela Leon Cervera April 30, 2025

Rothko painting child damage — Couple in front of the Rothko painting that was damaged. Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. Photo: Justine Ellul

At Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, one of the Netherlands’ most treasured artworks—Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 (1960) by Mark Rothko—is now in restoration after being inadvertently scratched by a young visitor.

The incident occurred in the museum’s innovative open-storage setting, where works are on view without traditional barriers.

The Rothko was part of Lievelingen, a highlight exhibition featuring 70 masterpieces, including works by Bruegel and Dalí, displayed while the main Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen undergoes renovations until at least 2030.

What Happened to the Rothko?

According to museum spokesperson Vincent Cardinaal, the lower, unvarnished paint layer of the Rothko sustained “a number of visible scratches” when a child under five brushed the canvas in an “unguarded moment.”

“There was no intent. This was not vandalism,” Cardinaal clarified. The museum stressed that the damage was accidental and occurred while the child was momentarily unsupervised. The painting has been moved to the conservation lab for evaluation.

“We are currently researching the next steps for treatment and expect that the work will be able to be shown again in the future,” he added.

How Fragile Are Rothko’s Paintings?

Extremely. Rothko’s works are known for their soft, unvarnished surfaces—beautiful, but notoriously difficult to conserve. As art crime expert Arthur Brand put it: “Rothko’s surfaces are incredibly sensitive. A single swipe can mean months of restoration and tens of thousands in costs.”

Brand estimated the conservation could range between $50,000 and $150,000, noting that the bigger issue lies in balancing preservation with public access.

“This wasn’t a protest or criminal act. It was a child being a child,” Brand said.

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Is This the First Time a Rothko Has Been Damaged?

Not quite. In 2012, Black on Maroon (1958) at London’s Tate Modern was defaced by a man who scrawled the words “This is Yellowism” in black ink. That incident led to a two-year prison sentence and an 18-month, $250,000 restoration.

In this case, the Rotterdam museum has declined to share images of the damage or disclose who will pay for the repairs. “We never disclose information regarding valuation, security, or insurance,” said Cardinaal, citing standard European museum protocol.

So, How Much Is the Rothko Worth?

While never auctioned, an Eastern European collector unofficially valued it between $50 million and $60 million. Acquired in 1970, the year of Rothko’s death, it’s one of just two of his works held in Dutch public collections.

What Does This Mean for Open-Access Displays?

The incident has rekindled debate about the risks of showing priceless works in barrier-free environments. Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is renowned for giving the public a behind-the-scenes look at museum storage, but that intimacy comes with vulnerabilities.

A European curator familiar with these models remarked, “Given how exposed some of these works are, it’s almost surprising these accidents don’t happen more often.”

Still, Cardinaal affirmed the museum’s commitment to its current model.

What’s the Takeaway?

As Arthur Brand notes: “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.”

Rothko Painting Child Damage

Where did the incident happen? At Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam.
Which painting was affected? Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8 (1960) by Mark Rothko.
How was it damaged? Accidental scratches by a child brushing against the unvarnished surface.
Is the painting being restored? Yes, it’s currently under evaluation in the museum’s conservation lab.
Has this happened before with a Rothko? Yes, notably at the Tate Modern in 2012, in a case of deliberate defacement.

As Grey, Orange on Maroon awaits restoration, the Rothko incident in Rotterdam highlights a recurring tension in museum philosophy: between openness and protection. And as ever, art’s fragility mirrors our own—especially in the hands of a child.