Sunflowers by Van Gogh is back on exhibit after being damaged by soup by oil protesters

After being vandalised by climate activists who hurled what appeared to be tomato soup cans on it, one of Van Gogh’s iconic Sunflowers paintings has been cleaned and is once again on exhibit.

 

About six hours after the soup incident, the National Gallery of London verified that it is now back in place.

 

Two persons were captured on camera opening tins, throwing the contents onto the artwork, and then sticking their hands to the wall while wearing Just Stop Oil T-shirts.

 

There were two people detained.

 

The painting is protected by glass, the gallery claimed before, thus it is undamaged.

 

Two people entered Room 43 of the National Gallery this morning at soon after 11 a.m., according to a statement from the Trafalgar Square location.

 

The two appeared to have taped themselves to the wall next to Sunflowers by Van Gogh (1888). They also daubed a red substance that appeared to be tomato soup on the artwork.

 

‘Police were summoned after the visitors were removed from the room. Police are at the location right now.

 

The frame has some minor damage, but the picture is unharmed.

 

Officers were on the scene at the National Gallery this morning after two Just Stop Oil protestors threw something over a picture and then fastened themselves to a wall,’ said the Metropolitan Police.

 

‘Both have been detained on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal mischief. Currently, officers are de-bonding them.

 

Videos of the incident on Friday showed a protester yelling: ‘What is more valuable? Or life, is it? Is it more valuable than food? More valuable than the law? Are the preservation of a painting or the preservation of our world and its inhabitants more important to you?’

 

The rising cost of living and the ‘millions of hungry, cold families’ who ‘can’t even afford to heat a can of soup’ were other topics she brought up.

 

Between 1888 and 1889, Van Gogh created seven paintings with sunflowers as their central motif, five of which are currently on display in galleries and museums all over the world. Before his friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin visited, the artist created these to embellish his home in Arles, France.