Overview

• A child accidentally caused superficial scratches to Mark Rothko's 1960 painting, 'Grau, Orange auf Kastanienbraun, Nr. 8,' at the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam.
• The abstract painting, valued at up to €50 million, was damaged on its unlacquered underside, making the scratches immediately visible.
• Museum officials have described the damage as superficial and are consulting conservation experts domestically and internationally to determine restoration steps.
• Modern, unlacquered paintings like Rothko's are particularly vulnerable to damage due to their flat color fields and absence of protective varnish layers.
• The museum expects the artwork to return to public display after restoration, though costs and liability are under review.