**A Dutch town hall has revealed that 46 artworks, including a valuable Andy Warhol print of Queen Beatrix, were unintentionally thrown away during renovation work last year, highlighting lapses in artwork storage and management.**
**Dutch Town Hall Accidentally Disposes of Valuable Warhol Print**
**Dutch Town Hall Accidentally Disposes of Valuable Warhol Print**
**Municipality acknowledges mishap during renovation leading to loss of iconic artwork.**
Soaring from the depths of embarrassment, a Dutch town hall has admitted to the accidental disposal of 46 artworks, notably including an Andy Warhol print of former Queen Beatrix, valued at approximately €15,000 (£12,800). The Maashorst municipality stated that the artworks went missing during a renovation effort at the Uden town hall, which has since merged with Landerd to form the new municipality.
An investigation revealed that the missing artworks were improperly stored in the basement without proper guidelines, making them vulnerable during the renovation process. Mayor Hans van der Pas expressed regret, stating, "That's not how you treat valuables. But it happened." The investigation highlighted that a number of the pieces were improperly stored, including being placed in wheelie bins, resulting in a tragic oversight.
The lost artworks, with a total estimated worth of around €22,000 (£18,800), are presumed permanently gone, as the municipality noted the likelihood of recovery is very slim. A report by the investigators emphasized a lack of established ownership protocols and several lapses in policy regarding the renovation which contributed to the loss.
Queen Beatrix, who reigned as queen of the Netherlands from 1980 to 2013, was among a series of monarch portraits in Warhol's famous “Reigning Queens” collection, representative of cultural legacy and contemporary art. Interestingly, this was not the first time Warhol's prints encountered trouble in the Netherlands as, just months prior, two of his pieces, including one of Queen Beatrix, were stolen in a robbery but later abandoned.
As institutions and municipalities continue to grapple with the management of precious artworks, this incident serves as a strong call for stricter policies and protocols to safeguard cultural heritage.
An investigation revealed that the missing artworks were improperly stored in the basement without proper guidelines, making them vulnerable during the renovation process. Mayor Hans van der Pas expressed regret, stating, "That's not how you treat valuables. But it happened." The investigation highlighted that a number of the pieces were improperly stored, including being placed in wheelie bins, resulting in a tragic oversight.
The lost artworks, with a total estimated worth of around €22,000 (£18,800), are presumed permanently gone, as the municipality noted the likelihood of recovery is very slim. A report by the investigators emphasized a lack of established ownership protocols and several lapses in policy regarding the renovation which contributed to the loss.
Queen Beatrix, who reigned as queen of the Netherlands from 1980 to 2013, was among a series of monarch portraits in Warhol's famous “Reigning Queens” collection, representative of cultural legacy and contemporary art. Interestingly, this was not the first time Warhol's prints encountered trouble in the Netherlands as, just months prior, two of his pieces, including one of Queen Beatrix, were stolen in a robbery but later abandoned.
As institutions and municipalities continue to grapple with the management of precious artworks, this incident serves as a strong call for stricter policies and protocols to safeguard cultural heritage.
