Posted on 01/26/2010 6:05:17 PM PST by Libloather
Met Visitor's Picasso Stumble is $65 Million Oops: Expert
By CAITLIN MILLAT
Updated 4:30 PM EST, Tue, Jan 26, 2010
This may be the most expensive stumble ever.
A Metropolitan Museum of Art visitor who lost her balance and tore a hole in a Picasso work Monday slashed the painting's $130 million value in half, an expert told the New York Post.
The 6-inch tear in Picasso's "The Actor" happened after a woman stumbled into the Met work, leaving it with a mark that could mean the painting could never be restored to its original condition, appraiser Gerard van Weyenbergh said.
"It's a 50 percent loss of the value -- at least," said van Weyenbergh.
"When an artwork comes up in auction, that's the first thing people want to know -- were there any repaints or restorations," the expert told the Post.
The six-foot by four-foot painting was hanging on the second floor when the woman fell, leaving the half-foot gash in the lower right-hand corner of the painting.
The "small hole" could mean that avid collectors -- van Weyenberg cited Steven Spielberg as one -- won't be interested in the tainted work, according to the art expert.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnewyork.com ...
Sorry, but I think the painting is horrible, though it’s better than his other works.
Too bad, it was from his figurative period.
What makes him think collectors wouldn’t want to buy
it.....at a discount.
That is only worth 65 Million ?
I don’t see why, since the amount of Picasso works are limited and finite. If you love an artist, well, what’s a canvas repair? Still his work. If it were a Van Gogh I’d take it at full price if I could afford full price, (gee it would’ve been nice to buy it from Vinny, for ten bucks...)
Is she responsible?
OBAMA as Court Jester!
hate when that happens
What are the tax write-off or insurance benefits from this little “accident”?
And for whom?
BTW, to paraphrase Mark Twain, Picasso's painting is much better than it looks!
Cheers!
TREMENDOUS irony there, stating that Steven Spielberg won't be interested in owning a tainted artwork.
LOL! I do believe you're right!
YOU BREAK IT
YOU BUY IT
I would have thought they would have taken better care of it. I’m surprised a $65 million work of art is displayed in such a way that anyone can get to the surface of it.
All seriousness aside, why the hell would they display a fragile $65 million piece in the open, and not protected by a transparent shield?
If she was a serious bidder, she should buy the painting. If not, she shouldn't have gotten anywhere near it.
"Hey, shit happens, come on!"
Why wasn’t a $130 million piece of art protected behind glass or something?
“Actress” rips “Actor”.....sounds about right!!
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