The Musée d’Orsay announced this Friday, May 10, 2024France Media Agency Friday having filed a complaint after the tag of the painting by Gustave Courbet entitled The origin of the world at the Center Pompidou-Metz on Monday.
Protected by glass, the work will have to be restored
On Monday, two women tagged “MeToo” on The origin of the worldwhich was protected by glass but which will have to be restored. This action, carried out in particular by the Franco-Luxembourgish performance artist Deborah de Robertis, was called “We do not separate the woman from the artist. »
“Lots of paint splashes”
“Smeared with red paint, the work was taken down for examination by a qualified restorer. The frame has received numerous paint splashes which could leave lasting marks even after restoration”specified the Musée d’Orsay in a press release, indicating that it had ” filed a complaint “.
“Tests carried out to clean the protective glass have shown that the use of solvents will be necessary, altering its properties and leading to its replacement”he clarified.
L’AFP reports that four other works were tagged with “MeToo”, one of which “could have been damaged in its integrity because not all of them were protected”, according to the public prosecutor in Metz. A red embroidery on fabric by Annette Messager, called I think so I suck (1991), was also stolen.
The performer indicted
“I obviously used a non-aggressive material that disappears with water”reacted Friday Déborah de Robertis to theAFP. “This way of demonizing, criminalizing and dramatizing performance is a classic of the genre. Because the urgency for the museum, at this precise moment, is to make the accusations made against the curator invisible.”
L’France Media Agency also recalls that the performer was indicted with another woman and both were placed under judicial supervision. A third person, who could be behind the theft of the border, was not arrested.
