Man Kicks Work of Art

[from the April 8 edition of artdaily.org]

Man Kicks Work of Art at Milwaukee Art Museum
MILWAUKEE.-A man was arrested for beating a work of art at the Milwaukee Art Museum. According to the police, a 21-year-old Pewaukee man wandered about the museum for more than three hours and then removed his shirt and started beating Ottavio Vannini’s The Triumph of David from 1640. The work portrays the final part of the biblical story of David and Goliath. Museum CEO and Director David Gordon stated that the works are in the trust of the public.

Joseph Ketner of the Milwaukee Art Museum said, "It just feels terrible. It feels terrible. I've been in the profession for 30 years, and I've never seen something like this happen. Some of my colleagues have been here for 50 years and have never seen something like this happen. This is a random and unfortunate act."

According to investigators, the attacker claimed to be disturbed by the image of the head of Goliath and started kicking it. It was not destroyed, but damaged. The Milwaukee Art Museum stated it thinks the painting can be repaired and has begun that process.

[A more detailed account on this is available on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel site.

Image, "Ottavio Vannini’s "The Triumph of David," 1640, from the artdaily web site.]