Intruders at Paris' Orsay damage a Monet

[anam_moon]

By CECILE ALMENDROS, Associated Press Writer
Sun Oct 7, 1:16 PM ET

PARIS - Intruders entered the Orsay Museum early Sunday and punched a hole in a renowned work by Impressionist painter Claude Monet, the French culture minister said. She described the damage as an attack on "our memory, our patrimony."

A surveillance camera caught a group entering the museum, which houses a major collection of Impressionist art on the Left Bank of the French capital along the Seine River.

An alarm sounded and the group left, but not before damaging an invaluable painting, "Le Pont d'Argenteuil," an aide to Culture Minister Christine Albanel said by telephone.



See the 4-inch tear

No arrests were immediately made.

Albanel told France-Info radio that the painting could be restored, but she deplored the attack on "our memory, our patrimony."

"This splendid Monet painting punched right in the middle," the minister said with emotion.

According to the aide, a 4-inch tear was made in the Monet. The official, not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, asked not to be named.

Monet led the 19th century Impressionist movement, experimenting notably with light and color in works now deemed priceless.

"Le Pont d'Argenteuil" shows a view of the Seine at a rural bend, featuring a bridge and boats.

Albanel told France-Info that she would seek improved security in museums and stronger sanctions against those who desecrate art.

The break-in occurred during Paris' annual all-night festival which brings thousands of people into the streets for concerts and exhibits.

Comments

[evanesse.livejournal.com]

God, that is so WRONG! Those people should be stabbed right through the middle, too.

[anam-moon.livejournal.com]

I'm all in favor of that! Why on Earth would they do such a thing?! Especially to a Monet painting? Did the water scene offend your sensibilities in some way?! Ack!
Thank goodness they say it can be restored.

[therobbergirl.livejournal.com]

That's awful. I'm glad that the alarm seemed to have chased them off before they did more damage.

---

*wave* I had a great time Saturday, meeting you and dragonluk and dancing past midnight!

[anam-moon.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine why they would go to the trouble of breaking in in order to slash up a Monet. Steal it, I could understand, but punch a hole in it?! Why?!
*waves back* It was great getting to meet you too.

[monkeysminion.livejournal.com]

They let people get close enough to touch these things!!! Wholly Sheeit! It says punched I was expecting a gaping hole looks more like a slash almost. Thank goodness it's not worse...but CRAP who the heck would want to do such a stoopid thing?? Priceless art, public place with cameras? And they thought "hey I know lets go in and punch a Monet for kicks?" I hope they get vandalized!

[anam-moon.livejournal.com]

When I visited that one art museum in Sweden, I was close enough to the paintings that I could have licked them if I so desired. There was no rope or anything.
I can't imagine what would possess someone to break into a museum for the apparent purpose of punching a hole in a Monet. What could that Monet possibly have been doing that could offend them so?!
I'm with you, I want to vandalize them.

[jackkansas.livejournal.com]

I had the honor of seeing Michaelangelo's Pieta at the 1965 World's Fair in New York. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in my life. Some years later, some deranged person attacked it with a sledgehammer. The damage has been repaired, but the mental scars remain.

I can't imagine anyone deliberately harming a Monet.

When I was young, I used to think most people were sane, with a few unfortunate crazy people wandering around. Now that I'm older, I realize that most people are clinically insane, with only a few of us sane people trying to survive the bedlam. Scientists say we evolved from apes, but I see no evolution here.