Picasso Painting Damaged at the MET
Carol Vogel reports:
Since 1952 “The Actor,” a rare Rose Period Picasso, has hung prominently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, along with other examples of early paintings by this Spanish master. But on Monday it could be found in a new, temporary home, the Met’s conservation laboratory, where experts there are trying to determine the best course of action for this 105-year-old painting’s brand-new feature: an irregular, six-inch tear running vertically along the lower right-hand corner.
Five days ago, a clumsy student fell into a Picasso painting. Ouch. The painting was immediately removed and taken to the MET’s conservators to assess the damage. The painting is crucial and marks a move from Picasso’s blue period into his rose period. It is also formidably large at 4 feet by 6 feet. Luckily, the damage is reparable. It should only take a few weeks to repair, but the pressure is on; the painting is scheduled to display in an April exhibition.
What a horrible accident! This scenario is always in the back of my mind when visiting galleries and museums. My track record for mishaps is long, but fortunately, I haven’t experienced this large of a debacle. On the bright side, I can only imagine the excitement of a lucky conservationist that has the opportunity to problem solve the tear.
